138 Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates, [ch. xxi. 



and Tayars notwitlistanding * Among the Sebda, 

 and the other Anazeh, there is nothing of the sort, 

 for each section there of the tribes has its own inde- 

 pendent sheykh, and Jedaan's position with them 

 is merely a personal one. Only the Jerba family 

 in Mesopotamia can at all compare with the Ibn 

 Shaaliins in importance, while in wealth and power 

 the Koala stand far above the Shammar. With all 

 this, Sotamm himself does not appear to have much 

 influence with his people. It is easy to see that he 

 is weak and irresolute, a mere puppet in their hands. 

 He is not even their akld or military leader, which 

 he could not fail to be, if he had any of the qualities 

 necessary for the position. The Akid of the Eodla 

 is a little old man named Hamid, Sheykh of the 

 Majil, a section of the tribe. It was he that led the 

 ghazu the other day, not Sotamm, though Sotamm 

 was of the party. 



Our reception here has been polite and amiable, 

 but not particularly cordial. Sotamm complains of 

 being tired and knocked up with his campaign and 

 has left us alone most of the day. In the afternoon, 

 however, he came with Sheykh Hamid, the Akid, 

 to pay us a visit, and we took the opportunity to 

 open negotiations witli him on the subject which 

 most interests us, our diplomatic mission from 

 Jediian. Before leaving the Sebaa, Abd er Eahman, 

 the Aleppine Doctor of Divinity, w^ho is my fellow 



* Compare the account of the Drayhy ibn Chaldan in the Eecit de 

 Fatalla Sayeghir, as given by Lamartine. 



