GOVERNMENT OF ARABIA. 163 



the inhabitants of TaiT; the Beni Sofian, Beni Ra- 

 biah, Beni Abs, Beni Kelb, and Beni Asyr, who can 

 assemble 15,000 men-at-arms. The Beni Saad and 

 Beni Kahtan are famons from the most remote anti- 

 quity ; the former bein^ the tribe amon^ whom the 

 Prophet himself was educated, and the latter es- 

 teemed more wealthy in camels than any Bedouins 

 of the Eastern desert. A man is reckoned poor 

 who has only forty ; and some even of the middle 

 classes possess 150. The Abyde, the Senhan, Wa- 

 daa, Sahar, Begoum, Hamadan, Shomran, and Zoh- 

 ran border on the territory of the Imam of Sanaa. 



Among all these nomadic tribes one form of gov- 

 ernment seems to prevail ; and though at first view 

 it may not seem calculated to secure that grand 

 object of legislation — the protection of the weak 

 against tlie strong, — yet from the experience of 

 ages, during which their political state has not suf- 

 fered the smallest change, it appears that their civil 

 institutions are well adapted to their habits and 

 mode of life. Every tribe has its chief sheik, or 

 emir as he is sometimes styled; and every camp 

 (for a tribe often comprises many) is headed by a 

 sheik, or at least by an Arab of some consideration. 

 All the sheiks, however, that belong to the same 

 tribe, acknowledge the common chief, who is called 

 the sheik of sheiks. The dignity of grand sheik is 

 hereditary in a certain family, but is not confined to 

 tlie order of primogeniture ; on his death the inferior 

 sheiks choose his successor, more for his personal 

 qualities than from any regard to age or lineal suc- 

 cession. This right of election, with other privi- 

 leges, obliges the object of their choice to treat them 

 rather as associates than subjects ; and the only 

 ceremony attending the election is the simple an- 

 nouncement to him, that henceforth he is to be 

 regarded as head of the tribe. Disputes occasion- 

 ally arise in choosing between a son, a brother, or 

 some other distinguished relation, and each party 



