The Monte Vista journal., 1912-02-10
! HE privilege Of dwelling among
the Bedouins, even for a short
time, is not accorded to many.
But he who has been thus

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 n special interest. but 1t is
rarely visited because OF the wild
tribes who inhabit 1t. 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 Bedouin 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 grun 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 op-
posed to that Of civilization and to
observe and become initiated.
The Bedouin wanders continually
from place to place. This necessitates
q life simple in the extreme, for
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 its groups OF black
tents situated on the deciivity OF some
hill, or planted in the midst OF vast
desert, surrounded by numerous
herds and flocks. Sometimes as many
as 10000 sheep and goats find pasture
around the camp, while camels and
donkeys Craze beside them.
Might 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 long
pipes and slipping their black coffee
from miniature cups while listening to
long. curious tales told by the STORY
teller" OF the circle. For these peo-
ple correspond to those OF primitive
ages, when the story teller had his
prominent place in the group. These
tales resemble In striking way those
of the Arabian Nights" and Aesop's
"Fables." The tents are pitched in a
circle. They are made of black goats
hair, either fiat at the top or pyramid
shaped. 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 partitioned OF
by curtains, dividing the mems apart.
ment from that OF the women
The Sheik. being the most important
man OF the tribe. has much larger
tent. and II has n special partition
which serves for reception-room and
another for baggage At his tent door
Is planted his long spear. ensign OF
authority and government There are
also places TOR the shelter OF fiocks
during inclemeut weather.
All around the tents various ami
mails frolic and pasture. Here are
dogs sheep. goats. horses and camels.
The dwellers 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
All his demands for home. Furniture
is not necessary. nor could there be n
space for it A few utensils. goat's
skin for carrying water. and some
thick comfortables. which when laid
on the ground form bed. and a ham,
mock for cradle. are all that are neces-
sary The tribes are often very large.
sometimes possessing 1000 or more
tsnts
II = Bedouin encnmpment 10 q pic-
turesque sight. tho tribe In motion 10