122 Bedouin Tribes of the EiLphrates. [en. xx. 



no attempt was made at followiDg them, even with 

 a small party of horsemen who might have clone so 

 without any danger, the Gomiissa being so much 

 better mounted than the Koala. All this is from 

 want of a trusted leader. As Meshur said : " We 

 are like sheep here without a shepherd." The great 

 tent, however, was at last pitched, and our own close 

 by, and towards it horsemen came riding in from 

 all points of the compass. It was a grand oppor- 

 tunity for looking over the Gomussa mares, and 

 one we did not neglect. It is not worth while 

 mentioning all we saw to-day, but amongst others 

 was brought the dam of our coveted Abeyeh, a fine 

 old brood mare, though less handsome than her 

 daughter. Many of the best shaped animals were 

 fearfully disfigured with firing, while others had 

 hopeless backs, and others again feet ruined by long 

 standing in the iron fetters used l:>y the Arabs to 

 prevent stealing. With all the real merit, however, 

 of these mares, there were hardly a dozen which 

 could be called first-class, and not one equal to the 

 Abeyeh, or more beautiful than our own Saade. 



At last, a body of thirty horsemen arrived, 

 headed by Jedaan on his Kehilnn Akhnis. His 

 face wore a curious expression, partly of satisfaction, 

 partly of disgust, and we read it to mean the con- 

 tempt he felt for his allies, and the pleasure at find- 

 ing himself so necessary to them. Satisfaction at 

 the result of the day's manoeuvres he can scarcely 

 have, for it now turns out that, although the Eoala 



