New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-03-20

y 4
rue may judge from the Arabic standard OF
vorthIassf.ess- Ababdeh" Whether this
reputation is deserved not no superficial OBJ
server has been able TO discover 1t is said that
they can give points 20 Western horse dealers
and the, hold personal courage above all other
virtues Like AN EeIouius. they deem d"ellers
Ia towns beings degrading state Of bondage.
Occasionally they enter cities to transact bust
ness or 90 engage iu tie sports Of a market day.
tut the setting sun sees them scurryns back to
rt.ir CAMPS outside lu The urishborhoOd Of some
oasis.
The dance IS hold at the annual Bliram gath
'r.uE near Assuan. The lesser BIiram occurs
Immediately following; the Mahometan fast of
Ittm.IAu. Vt this gathering are assembled
Anahlchs from all over the eastern desert Of
Egypt Some OF the young men whose hearts
hI.. found their mecca have looked forward to
this affair with longing. and have travelled
many weary miles over the burning desert %
prove their courage. The dance takes place N
a long. 'pw building sheltered here and there by
palms Half the structure is closed. The re
u.airI-f open 90 the faint light of the crescent
moon. Nhich In'y illumiucs the surrounding
DESERT Numb.r!-=s lanterns make the iucIosure
A. light .,s day. and uumiue the forms Of two
or three score Of H.,"Iin lads and mAit-us with
faces directed toward the platform OF marble
squares on which the d.rc- IS to be performed.
In front II the guests the musicians squat IN
semi-circa. armed with cocoluut-bo"led string
Instruments. crude timhourincs and tomtou.s.
From these they extract most eXecrlhle noise.
under the direction Of u patriarchaI baudnastcr.
who beats time Joy moving a piece OF iron like
shuttle between empty bottles. After one or
TWO minor dances. the matrimonial tournament
begins.
Eight smiling agile and sinewy AblbIeh
youths. not one of whom is more than eighteen.
all fine specimens Of manhood. take their places
the platform. ready to do or die. Each IS
clad in white Eclabieh. turbln and the con-
ycutioull red SLIPPERS Of the Soulln. The mu-
sicaus thrum on their homeIy instruments and
towering Bcdouin. petty sheik Of evident
muscular power. from the neighborhood OF the
Red sea wearing the green hedddress Of u
hIdj and carrying whip Of dried rhiuocrro5
hide. FIVE feet long. presses through the audience
and takes his place on the platform This whip
the kourbash. which figures in many u story
OF Eastern life II is u cruel instrument. lcly-
ing its mark with every blow. Now the fnstru-
mcuts break forth into "A wild sound without
melody. but acutcly CtIcuccd. The naEellunt
vaults into the air. Eyrttins rapidly and flourish
ing his whip cxcitelly. The youths follow this
signal. spriuEins into the air in time with the
sound from the instruments. They circle around
the vauItnE in the opposite direction. and
occasional EXPLANATIONS Of savage delight or en-
courasoment burst forth from dancers and au-
diouoc The music changes TO Il lower key and
the yaultings OF the nlscIIInt cease. With
kourb1~h held high. ne motions as if to Lash
. particular youth in the circle. The dancers
with every sense and muscle keenly alert. watch
him as a f"ncer watches the eye of his opponent.
The movement Of the dancers slacLens. The
l.-dcr's eyes have been rlveted upon one of the
youths for several seconds and the thong seemed
ready 10 fall upon his shoulders. Suddenly. with
| i dcxtrrous movement the naSellant wheels upon
his heel and the lash falls upon youth who had
/ little expected il. \ line Of crimson appears
! along the lads white gelabeh from shoulder to
mp. TIE full strength Of the towering leader