CH. xvi.] A Bedonin Bard. 13 



till Al3d-ul-Kerim's death. He liad shared in the 

 flight of Amsheli to Nejd, but had returned and 

 gone to Suliman ibn IMcrshid's tent and lived with 

 the Gomussa, till his new master too fell a victim to 

 the Turks, and then Faris had taken him back. He 

 now desired to return to his own people, but would 

 follow us meanwhile whithersoever we would. 



Our caravan, with the tents and mares, had re- 

 mained outside the town, for we had taken this 

 precaution to preserve our liberty of action, in case 

 of difficulties arising ; and every day we went out 

 to spend some hours with our camels, and see that all 

 was going on well with them, and learn the news 

 from outside. On these occasions Glianim would 

 bring out a curious little fiddle he had with him, 

 made of parchment, and a bow strung with horse- 

 hair, and, on this very unpretending instrument, 

 would play to us and sing impromptu songs, some 

 of which were pretty and all exceedingly interesting. 

 There was one, especially our favourite, which began 

 " WhenAbd-ul-Kerim was dead and all his tribe were 

 scattered," and another, whose tune might have 

 passed in Spain as a Malaguena. At these times 

 Ghdnim's face had a look almost of inspiration as, 

 with Imitted brows and trembling lips, he produced 

 an alternation of chords and discords, worthy of 

 Wagner himself, and sang the glories of the departed 

 heroes he had served. With all this, he was an in- 

 telligent lad and could turn his hand to anything, 

 and to him we entrusted the mission of finding out 



