The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-10-06
rsE SONS on THE DESERT.
The Eject Upon the Egyptian Bedouins of
tho Building of the Suez Canal


Egyptian war has been yariously estimate,
at from 10000 10 1000, and although grea
things were expected of these children O
the desert, little Of nothing has been hear
OF their exploits, the truth Is that of lat
Egyptian Bedouins have very much degen
stated They arr the terror Of The yillager
whose habitatious border on the desert
and in acis Of cruelty and yillainy are un
surpassed. Before the Sue 'capd wal
built the Bedouins were at liberty to roam
from Boyruth in Syria all through Arabia
Egypt aad Tnpoli to the great Sahara
Desert aud back, but since this great en-
cheering work has been completed, tn,
Egyptian BedOuns have been cut oil from
their Syrian and Arabian brethren, and
beingat war with the Tripolitan tribes
have been obliged TO coniine themselves t
the desert bordering on the Egyptian, M
bian and Abyssinian Nile, Although Tn,
area of this desert considerably exceed.
100000 square miles, il has been proved
TOO small Tor the roaming disposition of the
Bedouins. When the Egyptian Bedonins
could cross from Africa into Asia, they
started on their voyage with large Hooks OF
lambs aud young camelS, which gra2ed and
grew on their way and Were sold on arriy-
ing,n Arabia or Syria, after n march of
one or two years. With the proceeds
the BedOuips bought colts, to be again
sold, and at a large profit on their return
90 Egypt or Tripoli, or even Algiers or
Morocco. Their frequent visits to Mecca
aud Medina, which were often on their
way, inspired them with enough religion
to deter them from committing acts of cru
al ~ n,tI klApAul,nl aud ,l,,fv
lures were somewhat tempered by contact
with civilization ut the various markets
they visited,
Now all this is changed, and the Egyp-
tian Bedouins finding themselves cut off
nom the outer world, with no prospects of
trade, have become desperate aSsassiuS
thieves, kidnappcrs and slave dealers. The
lattor Is their most profitable ocCupn.
tion. The Bedouins yet acknowledge
their chiefs and pay very great respect
TO them. These are either hereditary,
and often have the rank OF emir or are
selected because Of their age, wisdom, or
great bravery. Such chiefs are called
sheiks The emir or shcik is nm absolute
monarch, with the right to put to death
any member Of his tribe. He makes all
treaties with other tribes, leads in war,
buys and sells for the tribe and fixes the
route, destination and duration Of an cxpc-
dtion He has right to claim rs his wife
the daughter OF any OF his subjects and
has the first choice of any slaves that may
be captured, The strength OF the tribes
varies from 500 to 1000 or 10000 men.
Their kidnapping and slave dealing are
followed in this way The emrs and Shciks
meet on the borders of the Red sea, as near
S0ualilm rs possible in November of each
year, when they determine the kidnapping
pt rt hA utaI laa Ia =, A.
taken that one tribe may not interfere
with another. Bonds are given tor the full
iillment of this compact, and anumbcr of
maidlus are, for better security, consigned
by each tribe to the JemmUh tribe, which
acts as referee, and keeps them rs hostages
unit the tribes return, when, II il is proved
that tribe has broken faith, the matt
ems Deposited by that tribe are handed
over to the tribe that has been Injured.
Having MADE their arrangements they
break bread share salt, and pass the mar
ghiieh, without which no liedouin compact
IN considered sealed, Each tribe then starts
on the route assigned to it So secret are
these plans that, although the Nubians,
AbysSinians, and soudunuse are always ON
the alert, they seldom know OF the presence
OF Bedouins until it is too late. The
Bedouins hide TOY a few days luthc vicinity
ol each village which they intend TO raid,
aud alter Esccrtoining the number Of VII
layers, their habits and mean, ot resistance,
proceed ON their voyage into the interior
uutil they arrive AT the end OF the country
which ,hciragrcement entities them to pill
lage. The tribe rctraces its footsteps and
attacks village after village each according
10 pTcarraugei plan, Various methods
are employed One is to set fire to vii |
lage IN many places simultaneously. and as /
LA 1T. A.
contlaglation they fall INTO the hands oithc /
Bedouins, who invariable murder the old
men and women and the very young child .
rem. but carry OF those between and IT, |
year old, The houses and mud nuts which
have escaped the fire are ransnckcd and the
slaves are made to carry the booty. EN. |
change,