1 84 Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates, [en. xxiv. 



delav returned to tlie desert. Several of these mud 

 villages may still be seen in tlie valley, roofless and 

 tenantless, the only result of Asian Pasha's ex- 

 periment. 



There are many, however, who are of opinion that 

 in time the Porte will succeed in its efforts, and 

 without doubt it would be a great advantage for the 

 security of the country if some hold could be gained 

 over the Anazeh and Shammar which should bring 

 them within the power of the law, for as long as 

 they have no fixed abodes the Government, even 

 supjDorted by the most powerful army, can neither 

 levy tribute on them nor enforce its decrees against 

 them. It is only now and then that the Bedouins 

 allow themselves to be surprised, as the Sebda were 

 by Asian Pasha. They are usually well informed 

 of all that happens or is going to happen in the 

 towns and, on news of any expedition moving 

 in their direction, hastily decamp. Once in tlie 

 desert, no troops in the world could control them. 

 Scattering into small groups, their track becomes 

 speedily lost in the waterless inhospitable plains. 



With the small tribes it is easy to deal. They 

 are nomadic only to the extent of moving about 

 with their tents and their sheep a few miles further 

 up or further down the valleys, but they never go 

 far from the rivers. They are already aware of 

 some of the advantages of living under settled au- 

 thority, Turkish though it l>e, and now that they are 

 secured against systematic molestation from the 



