The Elbert County tribune., 1913-01-24
. NsNa2 aEz1e

In the morning. with the rising sum- the BedouIn
arrive. Before Helouan is awake their white
headdress was visible far down the sandy waste
that meets the fringe of Delta towards Cairo.
But Helouan soon comes down to Few Of
them tarry here; they go straight through; the
Bedouin do not like the people, houses, tourists.
They resent the cameras. flourish their whips of
bunalohide and trot past almost fercely. There
Is scorn In their eyes, they circle about their
wives. High their splendid camels they have
regal air, making the great brutes turn and
double as easily as horses. and shouting angrily
II anyone goes near the water-sellers. This Is
their last watering-pace before the tomb Is
reached, and to trife with a Bedouin's water is
like trtfing with his wives. And no wonder they
wear this princely mien, for the whole Imperial
desert Is their home. Upon the slower camels In
their lordly train, sometimesI four abreast their
women, all carefully veiled sit with the little
children. Some are hidden from sight In tent
like canvas. gorgeously striped and colored. 1t
sways to and fro with the enormous knee-stroke
OF the camels like boat at sea. Soemnly the
Moslem world files past the sands. And
we outsiders get nearer. ask, stare, and follow
as we may. The gulf 1t not bridged that lies be-
tween our minds and theirs. In vain we try,
wondering what they think and feel and whato
emotions hide behind those fine bronze faces
Their polteness wells 1t all. their deep world
their courtesy screens revelation They move
like the camels at the pace of Thousand years
unchangng. We watch them across barriers
that is all Note that old man praying alone
there, behind the munching camel He has wash
ed mis- hands and feet: his carpet Is spread on
the sand. and his shoes are of. Mind heart and
soul are concentrated. He is oblivious to the
world about him he bows towards the east
and his forehead taps the ground
AS the moon rises higher and night becomes
all white, the fun begins in earnest-Fantasia as
they call 1t. borrowing foreign word couple
Of mounted police from Helouan come down to
keep order and see that the few inquisitive tour.
lists from the hotels not molested. But their
services not required Only the little
children trot around with their incesatn demand
for baksheesh. The Arabs take no notice of us
outsiders, beyond making way when we approach
Offering here and there word of explanation
or inviting us to drink coffee with them when we
draw near to their hrecircles. The Fantasia
grows fast and furious. while the crouching cam.
els MUNICH and the cries OF goats and donkeys
mingle with the women's weird ululating In one
corner ring is formed and the band begins to
play-two pipes and tomtom. To the endless
repetition Of single phrase. half melody, halt
chant, enters Sheikh upon his Arab horse The
gold and silver trappngs gleam in the moonlight
His head-dress shines: the horses metal neck.
lace chinks and rattles. Holding the reins in one
hand. the other grips stan with its point in the
sand; round this he circles in and out making
figure Of eight. the animal taking its small steps
proudly. neck arched, tail flying head held grace
fully erect Suddenly the rider swings a gun