The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-04-10
ARAB FELICITY.

Travelling in the East is child play an indom-
table will and good constitution essential requ-
sites The pretty sentimental notions of golden sands
and sparkling waters, picked up in childhood,
speedily dissipated under denchng rains burning SUM-
and pinching night frosts Let hear the account of
traveller .. ~ te.rrr IN =. r.rq III. 5raa ~
We were in a sorry plight when we reached the Be-
doun encampment and politely met by the chief
man of the camp, who babe welcome to his tent.
How often in my youth have dreamed of Bedoun en-
campment and imagined the rural simplicity and beauty
of such life And then how Olneys Geography had
heightened the pleasing impression by its pretty picture
of little Arab children caressing tame horse while the
patriarcha Arab his wife, and daughter were sitting
quietly at the tent door sunset and scattered all around
cameIs reposing and colts gamboing Like other
pleasing impressions of childhood this, also, dis
PEELED by actual experience. The encampment which
now gave refuge planted rich black soil,
which, owing to the rain and the trampling of human
and bestia feet had been converted into muddy slough
The tents low and black and around each door
dirty children padding in puddles, and snarling
fighting over bones. sH .tafpas n 'sas asr .a-l
Happily for us, tent was on the outskirts and If
Ibrahm told the TRUTH the largest and most regal in
the whole encampment. It just about fifteen feet
long by ten wide, made of goats hair, and so low
hardly to admit of our standing upright. huge fire
blazed exactly in the CENTRE and the smoke suffered
to make its way out it could by the doorway under
the edges of the tent, through the gaps above The
only way to keep from suifocating to lie fiat
backs which did, with feet to the fire. being
ranged like the spokes of wheel We ourselves occupied
half of the circle, host his wives and children,
and great multitude of guests, attracted by curiosity,
occupying the other half and choking up the doorway
about which there continual fight for precedence.
Beside Ourselves the tent quite chokcd up with the
household and agricultural stuff Of rich host and
corner entirely monopolized by wicker enco-
containing four very active calves which required
all the vigilance of hosts elder wife to keep them
within their fral prison. Once indeed they did escape,
and rushed like 'thunderbot tas some writer's say of
pf in tbo
doorway. ..s "a a.- ... .
Amid all these difficulties took our dinner, which
excited the amaement of the crowd and in the progress
of which my only pair of boots kicked into the fire
by a careless spectator and burnt to a crisp.
After this spent the evening in talking over the ad
ventures of the day, and gossipng with our hosts
younger wife, who, jauntiy dressed, seemed TO have
nothing to do but sit and scrutinize carefully The
older wife was evidently the drudge and what time she
could spare from watching the calves she spent in stir
ring vigorously her lords broth. sstf
The question to how and where were to sleep
was curious one. It finally settled by appro-
praton to exclusive of half the space usually
cuped by the Arab and his family. They made their
beds the top of the household stuff and
the top of the agricultural implements. AS there was
only for five in row, closely packed, was
PEELED to take my position at their feet with cart
wheel for my pillow, and subject to all the kicks
which uneasy dreams apt to produce. With my feet
burning in the fire, and my head freezing while the rnin
kept dripping into my face from the leaky roof there
possibility of sleep, and had the whole night
to observe what going about me- All night long
the wind kept bowling dreadully, and the rain poured
down without ccasing qF7si @ ~ aaaf3
On one side OF the fire. in the centre of the tent driven
in by stress of weather. stood and donkey,
keeping company with of our mueteers, who had
entered sureptously and unlimited On the other side
sat our host bolt upright Whether this in honor
of u.s. through suspicion of know not but there
he sat all nightnever stirred from his place. and
slept wink Now he would scratch himself very vgo
rousy (or feas abouDded } he would bow his head
to the ground, and humble his prayers; ne would
stretch out his long arms, and dip into tLo kettle of
BROTH and slap his stomach he tasted the sayory
food And then the scratching, and bowling. and mum
bling and dipping, would be gone again in the same
order and il went till dawn when the older wife
arose. let out the calves and filing up undessed goat
skin with crrds began thrash it with cub-a way
she had of making butter This, of course, walked up
my five kicking companions, and the long night was
ended strange night il TO your wakeful cores
pondent lying there listening to the rain and wind and
thinking how far he from all civilization, in wild
land and among wilder people. thought of the Arabs
salt and felt secure thought of the good Provi
ence that us, and keeping by night aud
by day. - - a 49,.
The great basso has got into physical difficulty at
Cincinnati Messrs. Anschutz sater, and Thomas re-
fused 20 perform concert to which, however they went
and created disturbance, but elected in the course