400 Notes on Sport and Travel iv 



usual wa-a-a-d, wa-a-d-d-Ab-dcl Kader-Ab-del Kaderl 

 that one hears everywhere, and was evidently merely 

 a light prelude to the real business. 



After a time servants appeared bearing a mighty 

 bowl of kouscous, with lumps of mutton in it, which 

 was handed round to us and of which we ate 

 sparingly. After we had finished, a number of 

 children sat down and cleaned the bowl in a very 

 short time ; these, we were told, were orphans, and 

 that the money we had paid went partly to provide 

 the poor little brats with a supper. Lastly, fresh 

 kouscous was brought in, the sheik and the men sat 

 round it and discussed it gravely and decently. 

 There was but one spoon, which was handed round 

 from one to the other ; the sheik, however, when he 

 wished to honour a guest, shovelled a spoonful into 

 his mouth ; whereby it happened that as he reached 

 across the bowl, two eager heads darted forward, one 

 getting the bowl of the spoon, and the other the 

 handle in his mouth, which made a perplexity for 

 the moment between all these parties. After the 

 bowl had been removed and fresh water been passed 

 round, all the guests rose and chanted what we were 

 told was a song of gratitude for the banquet. 



There was then brought in and placed on the 

 table a brazier of live charcoal. Three men squatted 

 round it, active wiry fellows with long sinewy arms 

 and bare throats, with the muscles standing out like 

 cords. To each of them was given a mighty 

 tambourine of the shape, make, and size of a corn- 



