The Winslow mail., 1897-11-13
THE BEDoUIN AT HOME.
Arabs of the Desert and Their Hosp
ta1ity.

Arabs of the Desert and Their Hospi.
ta1ity.
An English artist, R. Talbot Kelly.
writes for the Century a paper enti-
tied In the Desert with the Bedouin."
for which the author furnishes u num-
Der of striking Illustrations In de-
scribing his visit to an Arab chief, Mr..
Kelly says: On reaching camp my re-
ception was most gratifying-a perfect
blending OF respectful solicitude and
hospitable welcome. After kissing NV
hand, the sheik assisted me to dis
mount, bidding me welcome, and saw
ing that my visit brought Il blessing on
his house. Conducting me to my tent,
he added: This house is yours, and
all it contains; do what you will with
it and with us your servants''-a truly
Biblical greeting, and one which i'm
mediately suggested the days of Abra-
ham; an Illusion heightened when wa
ter was brought, and hands, face and
feet were washed before 1 was left to
rest on the cushions in the tent, and
the sheik retired to prepare the even
ing meal.
Under the Mohammedan code three
days hospitality is a right wayfarers
may demand, 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 impress
sion | received from the Bedouin was
the close resemblance of their life to
that of Old Testament times. Their
loose, flowing robes added to their nat
urally tall and imposing appearance,
and their strong, majestic faces,
slightly Jewish in type, together with
their gracious old-world courtesies, ir-
resistibly suggested the patriarchs of
old. Their lives, thoughts, sayings
and occupations remain unchanged
through all these centuries, and the in
cidenus and conversations of my daily
intercourse with them were always
Abrahamic in character.
Though nOmads, the Arabs are row.
ers from necessity rather than from
choice, and where fodder and water
are found in sufficient abundance they
form permanent camps, surrounding
their tents with compound of durra
stalks, and frequently building 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 proper
tions. The one l occupied covered some
two thousand 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 partl-colored in broad
stripes Of black, green, maroon, blue,
and white, while from the seams de-
pended tassels from which other
cloths are hung to divide the tent into
separate apartments when occupied by
family.
The furniture is simple. Rugs are
spread over the sand, and reclining
cushions scattered about them. In
the corner is a Zeer, or large water-pot,
and by it cubi yeh, or drinking-cup,
Of brass or copper. Round the side of
the tent is 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, large earthen
bowl used as a fireplace, complete the
list.
Very domestic in their habits, every
thing about them has personal associa-
tions. The tent-cloths are spun, dyed
and woven by their women and chill
dren, as also are their saddle cloths
and trappings; and these are so highly
priced by them that money cannot buy
the simplest product of their wives in
dustry, though they may give them
freely in token of friendship. Gener-
ally married to one wife, the Bedouin
regards her and her children with a
devotion not general among Orientals,
and l believe that the Arab word
watan is the only real equivalent In
any language for the English word
"hOme."