Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-12
A VISIT TO AR ABA
At Least as That Country is Represeptel
at the Fair.
Some Splendid Exhibitions of Horsenan.
shiP-The Droning Music OF the Band
"A Ride ON q Camel.
Correspondents Of The Evening Star.


full. 1.-THE. quick-footed. tail. wen-made Eel.
lows. They are fond OF gay colors. and
Their robes are covered with fine needle
work and embroideries in gold thread
Their hair is black and glossy: their faces
ana hands are brown; some OF them have
darker skins than others. In the little
company OF forty OF fifty Syrians is one
negro. tall man black as charcoal
He is slave, and has a strange fancy for
white robes which only tend 20 deepen IN.
blackness of his complexion.
The tribe is divided into two classes IN.
SaNahers ana the couriers or servants. The
lines are very rigidly drawn. the two
classes never mixing at all.
The village or eucampment OF these Sy-
r rIaI Is al the extreme lower end Of the
board fence and is about a mile in circg1.
ference. As We approach the village a
strange, weird song is heard. monotonous
and tiresome. Presently we see two Ar
abian women dressed in bright red and
purple. their hair hanging down in long
plaits and their heads swathed IN qneer
in white with gay robes thrown over their
shoulders. The four stand IN a loose stti-
c cIde. SWINGING S their bodies, their eyes
varying:
Kai wah nee. bull a wah nee.
We stand and watch them for a while
wondering what "Kai wah nee. bull a
wah nee" means. We presume Il means
We pay our 25 cents admission fee and are
admitted into the Enclosure by an Arab
who thanks us very earnestly for coming.
Some SkfIifuI Riding.
Within the ground is a large feld or
arena, where daily performances Of skflful
riding and mock battles are gwen. Along
one side is a platform of seats for speeta-
tors, OF whom there are several hundred
daily. On the other side are stalls for the
he of ha
ana further on a row of fifteen or twenty
low wooden houses for the aristocracy
1 must tell You about the horses the oele-
ins s' theme noT ,es OF Arabia can't help low
lhey are small ana dainily proportiohed;
the neck is arched without the aid Of a
the nosuils distended: thin little ANKLES.
snah hoofs; sensitive bodies that
culver at a touch OF word. Very valuable
Their masters Of the noble animals that
money cannot buy them. one gentleman
OF OF s Anew $500, oo,k wealthy man and lover
the beauties, ana was refused with thanks.
The tribe brought over about 100 horses, ana
the visitors are invited to inspect them al
the close of every performance
Siose by the chiefs house is large tent.
which Is used as lounging place by the
and Turkish rugs and cushions they lie
and smoke their cigarettes and wat hing
With with eager interest the play Of
]
ship. They become as much excited a. the
spectators do, and Jump up and clap their
expert move is made I had a friend with
me, bright vivacious French girl, who
| had met some of the cavaliers while In
coined her as an old friend. Soon We had a
crowd Of them around Us, all talking in
French, which they spoke very freely and
looked at the horses parting their glossy
necks and calling them by name. Then.
sfter paylns our respects 70 the little two
ing IN a chair. we sat down in front OF the
chiefs house TO watch the riding One "
the cavaliers. Mohammed Honedi. was SIT
broadcloth, exQuisitely hne, and embroid-
cred by hand with gold thread. He haA on
we would call angel sic YES. falling almost
to the knee. lined with red silk and edged
with a,. gold ta ss Around the waist vas
| glossy black hair was a red fez His eyes
were brown. and very expressive; his face
curling nustache' He was a picture. he
| talked OF his country and Of mine. 1 told
| him Of the beauty Of Washington. He said
he was going there before he went home.
| And then he wrote his autograph for me.
A Ride on q Camel.
While we were talking there came up 20
us a little fellow clothed in red silk and
bearing a tray of refreshments for my
| friend and myself. and after that we must
take ride on the camel who stood pa
tiently by waiting. We had a great deal
OF fun and laughter before we were fihaliy
seated. With a hollow groan that seemed
to come from the depths OF the earth and
with great lurch from the rear THAT was
the camel getting up on his hind feetD. ana
| then another groan and a lunge back ward
that was the camel getting up on his front
| feet UP in the air, laughing at ourselves
and each other, holding on for life feeling
that dignity and pride had indeed forssken
US were thrown forward and then
| backward with every graceful % step Of
| our slow-footed steed- We really enjoyed
Il very much as we rode slowly up and
| down the arena, and / suggest 10 all who
come to the fair TO try q camel ride before
| they go home. The beauties OF Arabs are
not complete until one has tasted the de-
| lights OF a camel ride.
| We had hardly put our feet on terra
| firma before the riders came in 10 The
| arena, and Mohammed was one OF them.
| mounted on a gaily caparfsoned steed dis
| playing his skill ia horsemanship especially
| for our benefit, IL being very rare Tor the
| cavaliers 20 take any part in the perferm-
ance. And then began such riding as i
never saw i'm my life; sharp lances sere
thrown from one TO the other; the men
| leaning way down over the side OF the
| horse 20 escape the blow: sometimes they
| caught the lances in their hands; like
flashes OF lightning the horses new from
| one side OF the arena to the other. dooging
| the lances and then wheeling abruptly
and fastening after the assailant. IL Was
| denly, with great shouting and war cries,
| the riders descended upon the peaceful
smokers and loungers In the tent near oy
| 10 where we sat scattering the rugs and
| cushions and bearing on the unorenalng
| Syrians And then such excitement. Ihe
| cavaliers were out of their houses ane on
| horseback in a twinkling and after the
| enemy Swords and lances ny through me
| air horses rearing. men shouting Al
seems so real The caNahers con9uss' Ia
| enemy the captives are recovered ana
| brought back in triumph amid applause
| and loud cries OF Bravo, bravo o7aNe.
| All fhcv are a happy and a free people.
| living out on the plains under the onen shy.
| with no responsibilities. no cares. We nade
| them adieu regretfully. promising we
| ever went 10 SYRIA 20 stop and make Them