530 LECTURES AND ESSAYS 



closed, the tribe refuses to ride out. A more complicated 

 test of the probability of success in anything a man has 

 set his heart on is to measure out three span s-lengths on 

 the sand. The space between must then be divided off 

 into finger-breadths, which is done by successive applica 

 tions of the third and fourth fingers, pressing the back 

 of the fingers down upon the sand. The row of scores 

 thus obtained is roughly bisected by the eye, and each 

 half is counted off in threes from the middle point. The 

 remainders give the measure of one s luck, the best result 

 being three at one end and two at the other. I remember 

 to have heard from a resident in Baghdad, that a very 

 similar mode of divination is practised there by counting 

 off in fives an arbitrarily chosen number of beads in a 

 rosary. This is called striking a choice (dharab kheera). 

 The Bedouins also take auguries from birds. A single 

 raven in one s path is a very bad token, but two are 

 extremely lucky. They say Akhdhareyn falan zein 

 &quot; Two green (i.e. black) ones &quot; a fair omen. 



The Bedouins have many other superstitions about 

 animals, some of which it may be convenient to mention 

 here. I inquired specially as to their usage in eating or 

 refusing the flesh of certain beasts. The superstition as 

 to the flesh of the rock badger which Palmer noted in the 

 Peninsula of Sinai is unknown here ; but there is a 

 similar idea about the monkeys which frequent Mount 

 Kara. These, it is said, were once men who came to pay 

 a visit to the Prophet. He set before them milk and 

 water, directing them to drink the former and perform 

 their ablutions with the latter. The perverse visitors 

 drank the water and washed with the milk, and were 

 transformed into monkeys for their disobedience. As 

 they were once men, their flesh is not eaten. This legend 

 is closely akin to what one reads in the fabulous history 

 of early Arabia about the Nasnas and the Wabar in the 

 great sandy desert. Both these words are monkey names, 

 quite current in the present day, though not recognised by 



