Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-27
THE pEpouIx OF THE DESERT.
An Artists Pleasing Picture OF Their
HospitnlitS

An AttiNt flchNlhE IlNNUFt W hhtht
Hospitality.
On reaching camp my reception was most
gratl;ying-a perfect blending Of respectful
solicitude and hospitable welcome, says a
writer In the Century. After kissing my
hand. the shefk assisted me to dtsmount,
bidding me welcome, and saying that my
visit brought a blessing on his house. Col
Quoting me to my tent, he added: This
house is yours, and all it contains; do what
you will with 1t and with us your servants
"a truly biblical greeting, and one which
Immediately suggested the days OF Abraham;
an illusion heightened when water was
brought and hands. face and feet were
washed before / was left to rest on the
cushions in the tent. and the sheik retired
to prepare the evening meal.
Under the Mohammedan code three days
hospitality is a right wayfarers may de-
mand, though in the case of accepted friends
the royal bounty of the host heaps favor
after favor upon the guest, without stint or
limitation.
Probably the first distinct impression |
received from the Bedouin was the close re-
semblance of their life to that Of Old Tes-
lament times. Their loose, flowing robes
added to their naturally tall and imposing
appearance, and their strong, majestic faces,
slightly Jewish in type, together with their
gracious old-world courtesles, irresistibly
suggested the patriarchs of old. Their
lives. thoughts, sayings and occupations re-
main unchanged through all these centuries,
and the incidents and conversations of my
daily intercourse with them were always
Abrahamic in character.
Though nomads, the Arabs are rovers from
necessity rather than from choice, and
where fodder and water are found in sufii-
cient abundance they form permanent
camps, surrounding their tents with a COM
pound of durra stalks, and frequently build
ing stone or mud lodges for their guests.
When on the march they are content with
very small tents, easily packed and carried
but In their permanent camps their homes
are Of regal proportions. The one l occu-
pied covered some 1000 square feet, and
was about eleven feet high in the center,
sloping to five feet or so at the sides. The
tent cloth was, as usual, made of goat hair,
and parti-colored in broad stripes of black,
green maroon, blue and white, while from
the seams depended tassels from which
other cloths are hung to divide the tent
into separate apartments when occupied by
a family.
The furniture is simple. Rugs are spread
over the sand, and reclining cushions scat
tered about them. In the corner is a zeer,
or large water pot, and by it a cubi yeh, or
drinking cup, of brass or copper. Round
the side of the tent is a row of painted
boxes, in which are packed the household
goods and chattels when moving, while a
few quantity wrought lamps and, half buried
in the sand, a large earthen bowl, used as
a fireplace, complete the list.
Very domestic in their habits, everything
about them has personal associations. The
tent cloths are spun, dyed and woven by
their women and children, as also are their
saddle cloths and trappings; and these are
so highly priced by them that money can
not buy the simplest product OF their wives
industry, though they may give them freely
in token of friendship. Generally married
to one wife, the Bedouin regards her and
her children with q devotion not general
among orientals, and | believe that the Arab
word watan is the only real equivalent in
any language for the English word home"
Desert life induces habits OF abstemious-
ness. Rising with the sun, a dish of kumis,
or mares milk. and a small cup of black
coffee are the only refreshments generally
partaken Of. The day is spent following
ones pursuits, and with the exception of
an occasional cup of coffee and some very
light smack" one has no meal Of any kind
till after shutdown. One quickly becomes
accustomed to long fasting and abstinence
from any form of drink, and the simple
dinner at night is more keenly enjoyed in
consequence. Though plain, the food is eX-
cellently cooked, and usually consists of a
huge tray Of rice, over which is poured a
dish of SIENNA. or liquid butter; round the
tray are pigeons stuffed with nuts and
spices; and the pyramid of rice is sur
mounted by a lamb or kid, frequently cooked
whole. Boiled beans, and perhaps a few
fresh herbs, appear occasionally, which,
| with the uSual nat lOaVeS ana Il large ulSn
T, OF riz-bil-laban. or boiled rice pudding, COM
plete the meal. Salt is seldom seen-a dis
tinct privation-eXcept on the first day Of
your visit. and drinking water is often
scarce. After dinner a huge fire of corn
cobs, or sticks and camel dung, is lighted
in the tent, about which we gather-and
enjoy the after-dinner cup of coffee and a
smoke, and, should we be in the mood, talk.
The Arabs have one excellent point Of
e%tiquet: Talk for talks sake is not ex-
pected. Ever ready for a yarn, they eagerly
respond should you wish to converse, but
the luxury of silence is not denied If ones
mood be thoughtful.
The idea of a fire in ones tent may strike
some of the readers as a superfluity; but
, the nights are of.en intensely cold, and
after bathing IN the sun all day, with the
thermometer at 95 to 100 degrees in the
shade, the sudden fall Of temperature to
little above freezing point is very trying;
and in spite of fire, blankets and a thick
ulster, | have frequently been obliged to go
outside and run about in order to restore
circulation of my half-frozen eXtremities.