CH. XXI.] Sotaimn s Domestic Life. 145 



featured, and though very nice to me, looked as if 

 she might have a temper of h(.'r own. She has 

 more wits than most Arab women have, and can 

 carry on a conversation further than is usual with 

 them, — for they generally come to a dead stop 

 when they have asked how far away my honi(i 

 is, and how many children I have had. Ghiowseh, 

 on the contrary, showed an interest in hearing what 

 I had to say about our travels and the people we 

 had made acquaintance Avith in the desert. She was 

 especially curious about the Shammar women, 

 asking whether they were as pretty as people said, 

 and Avhether they were well dressed and neat and 

 clean. Sotamm is her first cousin, and she rules 

 him with a rod of iron, not suffering any other 

 woman to stay long in his tent. She has got rid of 

 two that I know of, and seems determined to hold 

 her ground, in which she will probably succeed as 

 she is Mansiir's mother. The child was with her, 

 and made himself very agreeable, begging his 

 mother not to let me go away but to keep me with 

 her. I gave him a little whistle, and plaited a bit 

 of string for him to hang it by round his neck, 

 and he was much delighted when I showed him 

 how to blow it. He was not like most Arab chil- 

 dren, who are always clawing at everything they 

 can reach, and asking for sugar, but was quite Aveli 

 behaved and well mannered. Of course, however, 

 he was very dirty, all the children being kept so liy 

 their mothers for fear of the evil eye. The tent at 



