The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-02-08

In the morning with the rising sun the Bedouin
arrive. Before Helouan is awake their white
head-dress was visible far down the sandy waste
that meets the fringe of Delta towards Cairo
But Helouan soon comes down to see. Few Of
them larry here; they go straight through; the
Bedouin do not like the people. houses tourists.
They resent the cameras, flourish their whips of
buhalo-hide and trot past almost fiercely. There
is scorn in their eyes, as they circle about their
wives. High on 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-place before the tomb is
reached, and to trife with Bedouin's water is
like trifing with his wives And no wonder they
wear this princely MEN, for the whole Imperial
desert is their home Upon the slower camels in
their lordly train, sometimes four abreast, their
women, all carefully yelled. sit with the little
children Some are hidden from sight in tent
like canvas. gorgeously striped and colored It
sways to and fro with the enormous knee-stroke
OF the camels like boat at sea. Solemnly the
Mosem world files past across the sands And
we outsiders get no nearer. ask, stare and follow
as we may. The gulf it 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 politeness wells it ALL their own deep world
their courtesy screens revelation. They move
Ike the camels. at the pace of thousand years.
exchanging. We watch them across barriers,
that Is all Note that old man praying alone
there. behind the munching camel. He has wash
ed his 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 as 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 inqusitive tour.
lists from the hotels are not molested. But their
services are not once required. Only the little
children trot around with their ncesatn 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 fre-circles- The Fantasia
grows fast and furious while the crouching cam
els MUNICH and the cries of goats and dopkeys
mingle with the womens weird ululating In one
corner ring IL formed and the band begins to
piay--two pipes and tomtom. To the endless
repetition of single phrase, half melody, half
chant enters Sheikh upon his Arab horse The
gold and silver trappings CLEAN in the moonlight.
His headdress 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
fuily erect Suddenly the rider swings gun