The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1911-11-18

time, is not accorded to many.
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
bian Desert and from the Jordan to
the ,Gilead hills and to the great desert
of the Euphrates.
The ruins and biblical history give
this land special interest, but 1t is
rarely visited because OF the wild
tribes who inhabit it. Notwithstand-
ing their native hospitality, the west
erner is not really welcomed by the
inhabitants of the desert. But to the
traveller in the Orient, the Bedouln is
intensely attractive, with his mysteri-
Gus past, his quaint and primitive
mode of living, his picturesque attire,
his handsome features and wild eyes,
his fiery temper, his gruff cultural
language and the very element OF dan
ger in approaching him too closely
all these are allurements to enter
within his strange encampment and
to peer into a life so Numerically OPP
posed to that OF civilization and to
observe and become initiated.
The Bedouin wanders continually
from place to place. This necessitates
life simple in the extreme, for a
mans possessions must be reduced to
the minimum In order that all may be
carried with him.
A Bedouin encampment Is most pic
turesque, with it's groups of black
tents situated on the declivity OF some
hill, or planted In the midst OF a vas
desert, surrounded by numerous
herds and focks. Sometimes as many
as 10000 sheep and goats find pasture
around the camp, while camels anc
donkeys Craze beside them.
Night on the Desert.
This scene is more impressive still
when approached by night, Illuminated
by numerous camp fires, around which
dark Bedouins sit smoking their Ions
pipes and slipping their black coffee
from miniature cups while listening t
long. curious tales told by the "stor!
teller" of the circle. For these PEG
pie correspond to those of primitive
ages, when the story teller had hi
prominent place in the group Thes'
tales resemble in striking way thos'
of the Arabian Nights" and Aesop'
Fables" The tents are pitched in
circle. They are made of black goat
hair, either fiat at the top or pyramid
shaped, raised at front or back enougl
to allow one to stand erect unde
them, and then sloping down to tn
ground, where they are fastened b.
stakes. The tents are partitioned oil
by curtains, dividing the mems apart
ment from that of the women.
The Sheik, being the most importan
man of the tribe, has much large
tent, and 1t has a special partitio
which serves for reception-room an
another for baggage. At his tent doc
is planted his long spear, ensign {
authority and government. There ar
also places for the shelter of flock
during inclement weather.
All around the tents various an
mails frolic and pasture. Here ar
dogs. sheep, goats, horses and camel
The dwellers of the tents seen
have no objection whatsoever tc sha
ing close quarters with the beasts {
the field.
The tents have little to make the
appear homelike, yet to the Arab the
fill his demands for home Furnitul
, is not necessary, nor could there be
space for it. A few utensils, goat
skin for carrying water, and son
i thick comfortables, which when la
on the ground form bed, and har
mock for cradle, are all that are nece
t sary. The tribes are often very larg
5 sometimes possessing 1000 or mo-
tents
II a Bedouin encampment is pi
turesaue sight. the tribe in motion
still more So AS they are contin
ally on the move, and their journe.
I do not extend very far, when prepa
n ing to start afresh, they simply gath
their belongings together, careless
J tying them with strings or ropes in
/ bundles, and fiinging them across Il
backs of horses, mules or came
Cooking utensils are strung togeth
even when containing food. fill
e baskets hang on each side of the
Il beasts Of burden, and on top Of the
II are rolls of mattings and cradles
n rags bundled together hanging fro
|, the launches Of the animals. while