THE ARAB ROBBER. 115 



spirit. And yet by one of those strange contradictions, belonging 

 to the mysterious nature of man, this same Arab, the terror of 

 the desert, embraces without enquiry or hesitation, the stranger 

 who dares to confide in his honour and enter his tent. His 

 treatment is kind and respectful, he shares the wealth or the 

 poverty of his host, and, after a needful repose, he is dismissed 

 on his way with thanks, with blessings, and perhaps with 

 gifts. 



Now here, now there, the Bedouin's home is as wide as the 

 desert, and as movable as its drifting sands. The mode of en- 

 camping differs according to circumstances. When the tents 

 are but few, they are pitched in a circle ; if the number is 

 considerable they extend in a straight line, in rows three or 

 four deep. The sheik's is always on the side where danger is 

 apprehended, or where travellers are expected ; — it being his 

 particular business to oppose the former and to honour the 

 latter. Every chief sticks his lance into the ground in front of 

 his tent, to which he ties his horse or camel ; the pack-saddles 

 forming the couch on which he and his guests recline. When 

 wandering in search of water or pasture, they move in parties, 

 slowly over the sandy plain. The armed horsemen ride fore- 

 most, the flocks with their young follow, and behind come the 

 beasts of burden, loaded with the women and children, tents, 

 baggage and provisions. 



Among pastoral tribes the possession of a well, of a few date- 

 palms, or of a piece of pasture ground, easily leads to quarrels, 

 and, as rude nations generally prefer settling their disputes by 

 the right of the stronger, to sanguinary feuds and wars. Besides 

 the causes of hostility arising from disputed property, the 

 natural jealousy and fiery temperament of the Arab have always 

 proved a source of the most implacable enmity among them- 

 selves. They betray the quickest sensibility to any affront or 

 injury, and instances might be multiplied where a contemptuous 

 word, an indecent action, or even the most trifling violation of 

 etiquette can only be expiated by the blood of the offender. 

 If one sheik say to another, 'Thy bonnet is dirty,' or 'Tlie 

 wrong side of thy turban is out,' it is considered a mortal 

 offence. To spit on the beard of another, even accidentally, is an 

 insult scarcely to be forgiven, and such is their patient invete- 

 racy that they expect whole months and years the opportunity 



