Arabia and Some of the Bedouins 35 



difficulty, so when the Blunts were among 

 the Anazah they found a factional war 

 being waged. Sotaam ibn Shaalin was 

 leader of the Roala against the combined 

 Sebaa and Gomussa. Suleiman had been 

 succeeded by his two cousins, Beteyan ibn 

 Mirshid and his brother, neither of whom 

 had a tithe of his administrative ability, 

 and as neither was able to wage the war 

 against the Roala, they had made Jedaan 

 their Akil, or War Sheik, to manage that 

 end of the tribal business. 



From what has been said it is easy to 

 understand the wretched condition of 

 affairs among the Bedouins for the ten 

 years between 1874 and 1884. Let us 

 remember, also, that during that period 

 the Russo-Turkish war was carried on, 

 so that relief from the usual aggression of 

 the Turks, left the Bedouins free to fight 

 among themselves. It was during the 

 raids and counter-.raids of this time 

 that many priceless animals changed 

 hands, to be run hot haste by their captors 

 into the towns bordering the desert for 



