Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-04-13
THE GAZETTE.
MORNING, APRIL Is, 1859.
ARAB FELICITY.

Travelling in the East is no child's play;
an indomitable will and good constitution
are essential requisites. The pretty, senti-
mental notions of golden sands and spark
ling waters, picked up in our childhood, are
speedily dissipatcd under drenching rains,
burning suns, and pinching night frosts.-
Let us hear the account Of traveller
We were in a sorry plight when we reach
cd the Bedouin encampment, and were
politely met by the chief man of the camp,
who babe us welcome to his tent. How often
in NV youth have dreamed of Bedouin
encampmcnt, and imagined the rural sim
plicity and beauty ofsuch life. And then
now Oney's Geography had heightened the
pleasing impression by its pretty picture OF
little Arab children caressinga tame horse,
while the patriarchai Arab his wife, and
daughter were sitting quietly at the tent
door at sunset, and scattered all around were
camcls reposing and colts gamboling! Like
other pleasing impressions OF childhood. this,
also. was dispelled by actual experience. The
cncampment which now gave us refuge was
planted on rich black soil, which, owing to
the rain and the trampling of human and
beastial feet, had been converted into muddy
slough. The tents were low and around each
door were dirty children padding in pnddles,
and snarling ours fighting over bones.
Happily for us, our tent was on the out
skirts. and, if lbrahim told the truth, was
the largest and most regal in the whole ell
campmcnt. TWAS ust about fifteen feet long
by ten wide, made of goats hair, and so low
as hardly TO admit ofour standing upright.
4 huge fire blazed exactly in the centre, and
the smoke was suffered to make its way out
As it could by the doorway, under the edges
of the tent, or through the gaps above. The
only way to keep from suffocating " asto lie
Hat on our backs, which we did, with our
feet to the fire, being arranged like the
spokes of u wheel. We ourselves occupied
one half of the circle, our host, his wives and
children, and a great multitude of guests,
attracted by curiosity, occupying the other
half, and choking up the doorway, about
which there was continual fight for pre-
cedence Besides ourselves, the tent was
quite chokcd up with the household and
agricultural stuff Of our rich host; and one
corner was entirely monopolized by an enclo-
sure containing four very active calves, which
required all the vigilance of our hosts elder
wife to keep them within their prison.
Once, indeed, they did escape, and rushed
like .'thunderbolt" las some writer's say of
armies) through the serried ranks of specta-
tors in the doorway.
Amid all these difficulties we took our din
ner which excited the amazement of the
crowd, and in the progress of which my only
pair of boots were kicked into the fire by
careless spectator and burnt to a crisp.
After this we spent the evening in talking
over the adventures Of the day, and gossiping
with our hosts younger wife, who, jauntily
dressed seemed to have nothing to do but
sit and scrutnize us carefully. The older
wife was evidently the drudge, and what
time she could spare from watching the
calves, she spent in stirring vigorously her
lords broth.
The question as to how and where we were
to sleep was a curious one. 1t was finally
settled by an appropriation to our exclusive
use of half the space usually occupied by the
Arab and his family. They made their beds
on the top of the household stuff, and we ours
on the top Of the agricultural implements
As there was only room for FIVE in a row close
" packed, | was compelled to take my posi-
ton at their feet, with cart-wheel for my
pillow, and 80 subject to all the kicks which
uneasy dreams are apt to produce. With
my feet burning in the fire, and my head
freezing. while the rain kept dripping into my
face from the leaky roof, there was no posi-
bilitv of sleep, and so had the whole night
to observe what was going on about me-
All night long the wind kept bowling dread
fully and the rain poured down without ceas-
ing.
On one side of the fire, in the centre of the
tent, driven in BY stress of weather, stood
COW and donkey, keeping company with
one Of our muleteers, who had entered sur
reptitiously and unlimited. On the other side
sat cur host bolt upright. Whether this was
in honor ofus, or through suspicion OF us,
know not; but there he sat all night-never
stirred from his place. and never slept wink
Now he would scratch himself very vigorous
", for Aeas abounded;) now he would bow
his head to tho ground, and humble his pray
ers; now he would stretch out his long arms,
and dip into the kettle of BROTH and slap his
stomach as he tasted the savory food. And
then the scratching and bowling, and mum
bling, and dipping, would be gone over again
i'm the same order: and so it went on till dawn,
when the older wife arose, let out the calves
and filing up an undressed goat skin with
curds. began to thrash it with a club-a way
she had of making butter. This, of course,
walked up my Ave kicking companions, and
the long nig ht was ended. A strange night
it was to your wakeful correspondent, lying
there listening to the rain and wind, and
thinking how far he was from all civilization.
in wild land, and among wild people. l
thought of the Arabs salt, and felt secures
thong hit more of the good Providence that
was over us, and keeping us by night and by
day.