144 Bcdoidn Tribes of the Eiiphrates. [en. xxr. 



all we wished. He liad no quarrel with Jeddan 

 though his wife had left him, and the Sebaa have 

 suffered more than his own people in the war ; but 

 he must wait and see which way the Roala wished 

 to go. At present they wished him to make this 

 journey to Damascus. They could not stay where 

 they were, for the grass was all eaten up, and they 

 must cross the hills to-morrow towards Jerud, while 

 he would go with us straight to the town. He was 

 really pathetic in his lamentation about the manner 

 in which he is obliged to sacrifice his own interests 

 to the wishes of his people. He must become poor, 

 that they may grow rich ; lie must find mares and 

 camels, to satisfy the hunger of the Osmanlis, that 

 the Roala may trade freely with the townspeople 

 and felhiliin, — and soon he will be ruined. I have 

 not much respect for Sotamm, but I cannot help 

 liking and pitying him. He is only weak. 



"We have had a most sumptuous dinner this 

 evening, and there is singing and dancing going 

 on in our neighbourhood, in honour of some feast of 

 circumcision. 



April 15. — ^While the tents were being pulled 

 down and the camels loaded, I had half-an-hour s 

 conversation Avith Ghiowseh, Sotamm's first wife, the 

 one with whom Jedaan's daughter has quarrelled. 

 Fortunately, everybody but we two was busy, so 

 we could talk without being interrupted by the 

 busybodies, w^hich generally surround one in the 

 women's tent. Ghiow^seh is pretty, slight and small 



