The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1910-12-08

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ert well, the inn offers few con-
veniences, for In Arabia every one
carries with him his bed and cooking
utensils. There is no charge for
,assing a night in the desert hotel
The wandering Arabs OF every en-
campment possess great tent.
where a stranger is always welcome.
1t is called the multi and is like all
other tens excepting in size. The
traveller on arriving makes his way to
It. Stopping before the tent he gives
his horse to an attendant, sticks his
long spear into the ground at the tent
entrance and leaving his sandals out
side he enters, salutes and squats
down on the ground to wait until some
of the bitter Arab coffee is served to
him. BY tasting the coffee he has ac-
cepted the hospitality of the sheik and
becomes a temporary member of the
tribe. There he can remain for a GER
tain time. eating the food which the
sheik provides and wandering about
their territory in perfect safety pro-
tected by the Arabs. In whatever part
of the inhabited desert one may trav-
ell. one will always find shelter and al
most always food.
There are many bands OF rowing
thieves in the desert. Only II one has
nothing worthy of stealing can he be
safe In travelling in the desert. Long
Journeys of a month or more, as from
Damascus to Bagdad, are sometimes
, made by donkey. a beast that is de-
spised in Arabia and hardly consid.
cred worth stealing. If one travels
by horse or camel he is generally In
company with large well-armed par.
ty able to contend with any wander
ing band.
Animals Used In Travelling.
The horse is used mostly wherever
water can be found with sufficient
frequency. It has been trained to
! continue sc hours without drinking.
but the camel is the only animal shat
may penetrate the driest regions. Tho
dromcdary goes about ten miles an
| hour for 16 hours a day.
There is n camel pos. over the
great desert highway from Damascus
to Bagdad. For ten days, with but
one single well on the way, the
dromedary carries the Turkish mail.
The postman. riding 1S hours a day,
Is able to sleep on his animal by sit
ting behind the hump. which he uses
as a pillow, letting his feet hang
down behind.
The Arabs are divided into hun
dreds OF different tribes. Each is in
dependent and governed by a sheilI
who has absolute power over his peo-
Pile. He settles their disputes. selects
the location of their camp. collects
from them his tribute money and in
return provides them with food when
ever necessity compels them to ask
for It. Arabia is generally supposed
to be part OF the Turkish empire,
but few of the sheiks recognize the
sultan.
The dress OF the Arabs is as un-
changeable as the other desert GUS
toms. The undergarment is a long
shirt. while the aba. large square
I
garment OF the New Testament. Is
the dress suit OF all great occasions.
At one season of the year II serves as
blanket. and st another II is the
bed On the head the Arab wears a
square cloth. called the keller On
the feet are sandals OF the ancient
fashion.
Livelihood and ReIloIon.
The desert Arab obtains his living
by camel raising. In the great cen,
tral plateau one may find him herd.
ing thousands OF camels He drives
the camels to the larger cities once
year to be sold to the merchants
whose caravans still TRANSPORT the
merchandise from one end OF the
desert TO another
Though Mohammed was an Arab
and the Arabian city OF Mecca is the
center OF the Mohammedau world the
desert Arab Is more or less % q
pagan He calls himself n Nohamma
dan, yet he seldom nravs or fcasts
or goes upon the pi'grimaee 10 Mecca
as a good Moslem should
Dimly Reminiscent.
"Rollo." said the SLIGHTLY deaf old
lady, 'Tve certainly seen that cord e
tor somewhere before wish YOU'D
ask him what his name is "
The train on the elevated railwa,
was approaching station on the
loop, and as the little boy walCaa ma
to the guard 10 proponnd the question
that functionarv bawl~d out
adams an Waba sh!"
81 heard him answer you Ro'o
said the elderly dame as the boy
came back 'He says his name I,
Adamson Waugh Bash. does he? II
sounds familiar, somehow bat I-canr
..f,oo hl,,