The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-16

Lord Byron's Granddaughter Among the
Uedouins.

thor OF "Childe Harold" Such Is Lady
ANNE BLUNT. who offers us some account
Of the Bedoun Tribes Of the Euphrdies tIIar-
per'sl-hcr father being Earl Lovelacc and
her mother the Ada. sole daughter Of
my house and heart" Part OF tho ground
covered 10y this volume seems TO be entirely now.
no vivid details Of personal and pictorial char
acter touching the valley OF the Euphrates hav-
ing been hitherto published. although Col.
Chesney. who surveyed the river in 1885. Inns
left mass Of statistics and u chart rs the results
OF his expedition. The truth is that for two con-
turtles prior to 1862 that sept Of Desert B,douins
known us the Anazeh. woro lords OF tho great
historical waterway. and its neighborhood
was as perilous to the Asiatic husbandman
or trader as to the European tourist. More
over. although other travellers have described
the nomad tribes visited by her In Mcso-
potamia and In tho wide wilderness stretching
between the Euphratcs and the Syrian uplands
yet this volume seems to be the nrst attempt at
giving n comprehensive view OF desert life and
desert politics. At tho timo whom this journey
was undertaken. the Russo Turkish war WIS Mt
its height and the bonds Of official Discipline
being on that account relaxed in these outlying
provinces. the inhabitants we're perfectly at
thor ease in speech and action. Tho fact. too.
that Lady Anne Blunts party were without
escort. interpreters. or. for tho most part.
guides. compelled them TO repose implicit con-
ndcnce In To- Bodouins. Tho latter accord.
ingly became their friends. and were induced
to enter into confidential relations seldom
contracted with strangers. Thus the travellers
became possessed OF curious aud novel in
formation and tho reader Of this narrative may
acquire more real knowledge Of the great desert
and its wild denizens than has often boon
amassed In years Of residence among the from
tier towns " Syria.
BY way Of premise. II may be we'll 10 correct
some current misconceptions regarding tho
geography OF this seldom OK pored region. Ara
bia is usually bounded to the north upon our
maps by curved line running from tho head OF
the Persian Gull to the Gulf Of Akaba or eastern
arm OF the Rcd Seattle vertex OF tho curve bo-
ing placed few miles south Of the ancient city
OF Palmyra. This In the days alike OF the
Roman. the saracenic. the Tartar. and the Turk
ish empires down to the latter half OF tho sew
~reertA century represented accurately enough
the limits OF fixed authority within which set
tied life was tolcrably secure against maraud-
ers. and the common law OF civilized societies
prevailed During the whole Of that period tho
line OF the Euphrates was Garrisoned and a
military high road guarded by series OF for
tresses connected the river with tho hills above
Damascus. thus shutting out the rowing deni-
zens OF Arabia from tho pastures OF Mesopota-
mia on the east and OF the upper Syrian
Desert" on the north This boundary how
ever. which modern geographers persist in re-
producing has long ceased 10 indicate a
substantial fact. At the present day Northern
Arabia embraces the whole district between
Syria and Persia. extending northward as far
as tho 37th parallel, or the latitude OF Orfa and
Mardin. In its physical features and in tho
ethnic qualities OF the people which inhabit
It. this vast region which once supported en-
pires founded by divers ofrshoots OF Aran and
Semitic stock. now forms IA singularly homo
geneous whole. uniform with that portion OF
the primeyal waste lying between the river Jor-
dan and the Persian Cult.
What are the physical traits OF the so-called
desert into when the fertile low dsltas OF Irak
and Chaldea seem to have relapsed within a
relatively modern period ? We need not say
that its sxpanse offers no sand or gravel. or any
OF those silcious deposits which in the popular
mind are associated with such regions. II
is rather a vast plain or complication OF pla-
teaus varying in altitude. all poor in soil. no
doubt aud so scantily watered that cultivation
is seldom possible within It's limits. save by
irrigation. Roughly speaking. the district is
without mountains. streams. or fresh water
lakes. for the two great rivers which cross its
northeastern angle cut through the ground ike
strangers. and have nothing in common with
tho region above their beds. Yct It would be
mistake 10 suppose that water for drinking
purposes IS wanting, for there are wells In Ger
tain places. and In others pools Of rain water
more or less abundant whose position Is well
known to the nomad inhabitants. To the south
Of the hill range running between Damas-
Gus aud the Euphratcs the whole surface
Of the plain is clothed with aromatic
shrubs. stunted. indeed. but afording
a tolerable fodder for camels. Even here. too.
after rain, many kinds Of grasses and towering
plants are found on the patches Of better soil
while in the upper Syrian desert. and the
northern parts OF Mesopotamia. the aspect of
the country during spring time is compared BY
the author OF this volume to the green rolling
downs Of Wiltshire. 1t is chiefly In these
higher plains that sheep pasture is found. and
here the Bedouins congregate in the spring to
shear their hocks and to hold their stintrd com
mercial intercourse with tho towns. With tho
first frosts the Anazeh and other camel owning
Bedouns wander southwark again 10 latitudes
where the shrubs are evergreen. Their normal
range appears 10 cover some ten degrees. and,
In exceptional years. these vngrant mas
ters of the wild may travel 1000
miles between November and May. In
early March they touch tho extreme
southern limit OF their wanderings, and for u
few weeks at this season the Hamud-as the
historical desert OF North Arabia is called-is
portrayed by our author rs one Of tho most
beautiful sights in the world. a boundess
undulating plain OF grass and flowers. tho
dominant tint Of the whole surface being rich
purple. Tho hollows are filled with Juicy
meadow heritage. wild barley. oats. and rye
the haunts OF quails while here and there deep
beds Of blue geranium intervene. or tracts
white with cnmomlos. On the poorer soils the
blossoms arc not less gay. embracing tulips.
margolds. asters, iriscs, and certain pink wall
flowers. cousins. each Of them to the garden
plants OF western Europe; for 1t was doubtless.
from the desert that tho crusaders brought
home many Of those now esteemed essentially
English flowers. No sheep are brought thus
ar southwark. but through this bright parterre
great herds OF camols with their attendant
Bedouins stray slowly all the spring. while
the mares starved during eight months OF the
year, foal and grow fat upon a certain crisp
grass. fine and dry and sweet as sugar.
SO much for the desert. and now word as 70
the physical aspect OF tho Euphratcs valley to
which the banks Of the Tigris offer a substantial
resemblance When it first ceaves the edge ofthe