The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-12-21
Arabia in Africa.

the subject of a timely war geogra
ply bulletin issued from the Wash
ington headquarters of the National
Geographic society. The bulletin is
based upon the-ebservations and eX
perience of one of the society's cor
respondents who has spent many
years in the Near East. Concerning
the Bedouins, the nomadic class in
Arabia, whose extensive camps are
scattered over the interior of the
great southwestern peninsula Of
Asia, the bulletin says:
"Of the Beduoins and the Fallahs
(the settled agricultural class), the
former are the more numerous peo-
pie and by far the more interest
ing The Beduoin pities the city
dweller because fate has decreed
that he must pass his days in the
confinement of a house or inclosed
city, while the city man congratu-
lates himself on his good fortune in
being spared the dangers, inconven-
fences and exposures that are the
lot of the tent-dweller-
The life of the latter is an un
certain one. His tent is homemade,
spun and woven by the women of
his harem from goats hair, an &C
'cumulation of many years. This tent
cloth is waterproof and good pro-
lection against the fierce sun of the
desert. 1t is very portable and
serves for many generations. Each
camp has its chief, part of whose
tent is set apart as a guest room, in
which visitors are entitled to three
days hospitality.
Prerogatives of the Chief.
THE chief gives the order to
move camp and decides on the new
pitch. Local disputes are referred to
him for settlement, and in the event
of his being unable to adjust the
matter, the disputants must go to
the capital and present their case to
the Emir. This they are slow to do,
for it means long journey and ab-
sence from home for an uncertain
time, as we'll as some amount of eX-
pense The chief, too, is responsible
for the good behavior of the people
in his district and for the return of
the tax due from the tribe.
"The desert which the Beduoin
calls home has to be lived in,
crossed, slept on, made ones abode
for a time before it can be thorough
ly appreciated and enjoyed. The
boasting of the Beduoins about the
free life they enjoy, and their pity
for their city neighbors, confined in
their close and dark dwellings, can
be excused after sojourn in their
tents. But the desert life is not all
honey, by any means, for is there not
always the danger of attack from
the nothing-to-lose and all-to-gain
members of society, or the risk of
perishing for want of water, or the
giving out of ones food without the
possibility of being able to replenish
the supply?
when travelling through inland
Arabia the routine of travel is some
what arduous. Up with the day.
break and as soon as possible load
the camels; ride for some four or
five hours; then put down for the
first morning meal, which usually
consists of dates and water; then off
again until late in the afternoon,
when a halt is made for the night.
Supper usually consists of warm
bread with an onion or dates as a
relish. Bread is prepared in as sim
pie a manner as possible. While the
coarse -four and water are being
kneaded into dough, large fire is
made which provides a good heap of
hot ashes On part of these the fiat
tened dough is laid, then covered
with the remainder of the ashes. In
about Is minutes the dough is suf-
ficiently baked. 1t is then we'll beat
en- to free it from the ashes, broken
in pieces and divided among those
who, from their bags, have contrib
uted to the meal.
after the evening feast coffee is
made by some member of the party
and in tiny cups handed round to
each one, as much regard being paid
to etiquette as if al were assembled
in the most spacious guest room in
the largest city in the country.
Are a Social Lot.
"Conversation never lags, and un-
til late in the evening the men talk,