1848. j BEDAWI ARAB. 473 



that " they are for the most part, straight, upright, and grace- 

 fully formed. I have never met," says he, " with a lame or 

 deformed Bedawi. They are generally of a spare habit, mus- 

 cular and sinewy. Their skins are of a fine, rich brown, very 

 like the color of the carefully roasted coffee-berry. Frequently 

 their skin has almost a transparent appearance, and is capable 

 of exhibiting emotion, in the rushing of the blood to the cheeks. 

 Their eyes are well set in their heads, and are sparkling, burn- 

 ing, quick, and intelligent. They have mostly thin spare 

 beards which they wear untrimmed. They possess immense 

 energy and activity, and are capable of enduring fatigue; all 

 of which their most abstemious habits tend to cherish. Their 

 step, when in the desert, is firm, agile, and graceful. They 

 walk as nature intended. They have never been drilled into 

 awkwardness by dancing and posture masters. Every muscle, 

 tendon and sinew, perforins its proper office. II asked to 

 mention, the best specimen of untutored, manly gracefulness 

 of bearing, I have ever met with, I would try and depict a 

 young, healthy Bedawi Arab. And their simple attire is as 

 graceful as their persons, though consisting of but slender 

 and uncostly materials. Next to the skin they wear a tunic 

 or shirt of unbleached, coarse linen, open at the throat and 

 chest, and extending a little below the knees, the legs being 

 left bare. The sleeves are wide and flowing, and admit of 

 being thrown up to the shoulder, so as to leave the arm unin- 

 cumbered, when needed for the use of the sabre. This gar- 

 ment is gathered round the loins by a broad, stiff leather 

 girdle, in which is fixed the long, crooked knife, with a blade 

 of about eighteen inches long — a fearful weapon in a dextrous 

 hand. From the girdle is suspended, also, the flint and steel 

 for firing their matchlock guns ; and also a pouch for tobaccco, 

 commonly made of lizard skin. Slung from the neck, they 

 wear a belt containing several rounds of ammunition ; while 

 by the side is usually suspended a strong iron-hilted sabre, 

 and behind the shoulders a long matchlock gun, sometimes 

 ornamented with bits of mother-of-pearl. On the head they 

 wear the tarlmsh, or skull cap, made of crimson felt, with a 



