58 BedGuin Tribes of the Euphrates, [ch. xviu. 



a stone head lie dug up here last year, a relic of no 

 great value, but authentic. It has probably served 

 to decorate an arch, after the fashion of the 

 sculptures at El Haddr. Indeed, the architecture 

 of both places is singularly alike. Abdallah tells 

 hie that no Franks have been to Tudmur for the 

 last two years. Formerly some came every spring ; 

 but lately, for some reason he cannot explain, they 

 have not appeared here. Still Palmyra must be too 

 well known for any description of the ruins to be 

 necessary. I asked him whether he regretted the 

 old state of things before the Turkish occupation, 

 and he told me " No, it was better now, for the taxes 

 were levied more regularly. When the town was 

 tributary to the Bedouins, one never knew when 

 they would be satisfied. The feuds, too, in old 

 times made life insecure." So even Turkish govern- 

 ment seems to be better than none at all. The 

 ]\Iesrab, a section of the Eesallin tribe of Sebila 

 Anazeh, used to levy tax on Tudmur, and exercise 

 tlie rio'ht of escortino; travellers there, l)ut now all 

 is changed, and the route from Damascus through 

 Karieteyn is quite safe. The old man has been 

 very kind to us all the time we have been here, and 

 we have taken leave of him with reoret. 



A last attempt at delaying our journey has been 

 made. We were ridino; out of the eate of Tudmur 

 wdien Hassan met us, and with an air of importance 

 laid his liand upon my marc's bridle. He bego'ed 



