Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-11-07

n But he who has been thus
favored treasures up in his
memory an experience OF unusual In
terest. The parts Of the country most
inhabited by Bedouins are the stretch
es of land from Damascus to the Ara
HAN Desert and from the Jordan 10
the Gilead hills and to the great desert
OF the Euphrates.
The ruins and biblical history give
this land a special interest, nut IL IS
rarely visited because oil the Wlia
tribes who inhabit It. Notwithstand.
ing their native hospitality, the west
eruer is not really welcomed by the
inhabitants of the desert. But TO. the
traveller in the Orient. the Bedouin IS
intensely attractive, with his mssterf
Gus past, his quaint and primitive
mode of living. his picturesque azure
his handsome features and wild eyes,
his fiery temper, his gruff gutturai
language and the very element OF dan
ger in approaching him too closely
all these are allurements to- enter
within his strange encampment ana
TO peer into life so dramatically op-
| nosed to that OF civilization ana W
observe and become initiated.
The Dedouin wanders continually
from place to place. This nccessitates
a life simple in the extreme. lor
mans possessions must be reduced 10
the minimum in order that all may be
carried with him.
4 Bedouin encam9ment IS most PIC
tslyesuue. with its groups OF nlack
tents situated on the dcciivity OF some
hill or planted in the midst G. a vast
desert, surrounded by numerous
herds and flock:. Sometimes as many
as 10000 sheep and goats find pasture
around The camp, while camels ana
donkeys Craze beside them.
Might on the Desert.
This scene is more impressive SIN
when approached 10y night, illuminated
nv numerous camp fires, around Whlcn
dark Bedouins sit smoking their long
mines and slipping their black cotlee
from miniature cups while listening 10
long curious tales told b. the story
teller" of the circle. For these peo-
nile correspond 10 those OF primitive
ages. when the story teller had MS
prominent place in the group. These
tales resemble in striking way those
of the Arabian Nights" and Aesop 5
Fables" The tents are pitched IN a
circle They are made OF black goats
hair. either fat at the top or pyramid
sbaned. raised at front Or back enough
to allow one to stand. erect under
them, and then sloping down to the
ground. where they are fastened by
stakes. The tents are Dartit1oned on
by curtains, dividing the mems apart
ncnt from that OF the women,
The Sheik, being the most important
man Of the tribe, has much larger
tent and it has a special partition
which serves for reception-room ana
another for baggage. At his tent door
Is planted his long spear, ensign Oh
authority and government. Ihere are
also places for the shelter OIL noChs
during inclement weather. y:
All around. the tents various anil
mails frolic and pasture. Here are
dogs, sheep, goats, horses and camels.
The jewellers of the tents seem to
have no objection whatsoever to- shar-
ing close quarters with the beasts OF
the field.
The tents have little to make them
appear homelike, yet to the Arab they
fill his demands for home. Furniture
is not necessary, nor could there be &
space for it. A few utensils. goats
skin for carrying water, and some
thick comfortables, which when laid
| on the ground form bed, and ham,
mock for cradle, are all that are neces-
sary. The tribes are often very large,
sometimes possessing 1000 or more
tents.
If a Bedouin encampment Is a pic
turesuue sight, the tribe in motion is
still more so. As they are continu-
ally on the move. and their journeys
do not extend very far, when Drepar-
sing to start afresh, they simply gather
their belongings together. carelessly
tying them with strings or ropes into
bundles, and flinging them across the
backs of horses, mules or camels.
Cooking utensils are strung together
even when containing food. filled
baskets hang on each side OF these
beasts of burden, and on top of them
are rolls of mattings and cradles or
rags bundled together hanging from
the launches of the animals, while on