Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1882-12-28
The Arabs OF the Desert.

the New York Times, no class of peo-
pie is less known to the outer world,
for the reason, perhaps, that no other
class so persistently keeps aloof from
civilization. When Asia and Africa
were joined by the Isthmus of Suez the
Bedouins roamed freely from Morocco
through Algiers, Tunis, Tripoli, Egypt,
Arabia, and Syria, often trading on
their way, besides keeping up their
| flocks. BY the cutting of the land,
however, those who were in Syria and
Arabia became separated from their
African friends. The tribes, which had
hitherto been united, have been divided
| into two separate bodies, one of which
is now called Anadollou, or Asistic,
and the other Myssirlou, or African.
This separation of the Bedouins has
been of advantage to the Anadollou, as
the desert in Asia is interpreted with
fertile spots, which are at no great dis
lance from the markets, where their
horses, sheep, and camels can be sold.
1t has been detrimental to tire Mys-
sirlou, who have been confined to one
enormous desert, with small GASES here
and there, and have always been
obliged to defend themselves against
the attacks Of wild tribes inhabiting the
interior of Africa. Many of these
Myssirlou tribes have confined them
selves within certain limits, where
they breed high-class horses exclu-
sively. These tribes are called "Ahal
Hader," or inhabitants of fixed places,
while their roaming brethren are de-
| Y,or,;notoJ OAbo1 Rand - ~ dmollors
of unlimited space. Very little can be
said in favor of the latter class Of
Bedouins, as they are known to he
bloodthirsty, cruel, and cowardly, their
chief occupation being robbery, cattle
lifting, and kidnapping, or slave hunt
ing in which they excel. The only viz
tue the seem to possess is their great
love for their horses. The Anal Hader
Bedouin, however, although retaining
much of his savage nature, is noble,
generous, kind and hospitable, and will,
in many respects, serve as q good ex-
ample to civilized nations, 90.
The Bedouin considers the desert his
personal property. He says the sun
gave it to him as legacy, ordering
| him to keep it in tact and free from
| intruding strangers. He believes that
if he fails to do this the sun will cease
to shine on it, and it will be covered
with water. For this eason the Bedouins
are very Jealous of foreigners passing
through the desert without their per-
mission, and they will rob and even
murder travellers who have not taken
| the precaution to provide themselves
with the permit OF some Bedouin shiek
or emir. This permit is sometimes in
the shape of q bodyguard, which &C
companies the travellers to the next
tribe and confides them to another
guard, which IN turn does the same
thing; or it is in writing, bearing the
seal of some chief, else it is a ring,
| handkerchief, a piece of wood OF
leather. In any case, permission oc-
tanned from the chief is sufficient to in
cure the traveller safe passage through
the desert, unless he should be unfor-
tunate enough to fall into the hands Of
hostile tribes, of which there are few
who are always at war with the more
paaeeable of their own kind.
This right of the Bedouin to the
desert is ackno yledged, they say, by
the Sultan Of Turkey and the khedive
of Egypt, who pay them an annual
| tribute for allowing the caravan Of
holy camels to march over the sands
on its way to the Mecca. The truth,
however, is that the holy caravan was
so often robbed by the Bedouins that
the Turkish and Egyptian rulers
thought it policy to pay 81 black-mail
rather than send large bodies OF troops
to protect it. The great difficulty ex-
perienced by @ stranger is in obtaining
the necessary permission, for this Is
not readily granted, the Bedoui ne
chiefs resorting to all kinds OF suhter-
fuge, and very often to deception. no
experienced Oriental traveller considers
himself safe until he has not only slept
in the chiefs tent, but he also smoked
the narghilleh of friendship, broken
bread and divided salt with him, for
malities without whose observance no
| Bedouine is to be relied upon. The
4 friendship, however, once obtained,
be depended upon. Many cases are
known where BedoHins have risked
and sacrificed their lives in protecting
{ OF 8VenElDE muse W NhDlI tAtF nave
pledged themselves. The most recent
instance is that Of the Ameer Abou.
said, who last year marched at the
head Of thousand lances from Nubia
to Tripoli. a journey o. two months,
wher he fought and destroyed the
whole Of the Yzaney tribe for
having robbed a caravan Of Greek
gentlemen, who we're collecting speci-
mems Of natural history, and to whom
the Emeer Abou-Said had granted q
pass. The most curious incident Of
/ this expedition was that the Emeer had
to pass through three tribes with which
he was at war at the time, but they,
knowing that he was bent Oh defending
Bedouin honor, rot only allowed him
to cross their territory unmolested, but
also entertained him Hospitality. The
BedouiIs always camp near well, and
within few minutes after their arrival
at one they are comfortably settled.
All their property Is portable, and is
slowed away in ysriously-shaped sad