en. XXV.] Trut/i. 203 



English hunting man will admit having " lust his 

 nerve." Their fellows pity rather than laugh at 

 such people. The young men, however, are usually 

 fond of enterprise, and will start on maraud big 

 expeditions for glory quite as readily as for gain. 

 Hard blows are often exchanged, and most Bedouins 

 have wounds to show ; hut no idea of shame is con- 

 nected with the act of running away, even if the 

 fugiti^'es are in superior force. 



The Bedouin is essentially humane, and never 

 takes life needlessly. If he has killed a man in war 

 he rather conceals the fact than proclaims it aloud, 

 while murder or even homicide is almost unknown 

 among the tribes. He feels no delight, like men of 

 other races, in shedding blood. 



Truth, in ordinary matters, is not regarded as a 

 virtue by the Bedouins, nor is lying held shameful. 

 Every man, they say, has a right to conceal his own 

 thought. In matters of importance, the simple 

 affirmation is confirmed by an oath, and then the 

 fact stated may be relied on. There is only one 

 exception to the general rule of lying among them. 

 The Bedouin, if questioned on the breed of his 

 mare, will not give a false answer. He may refuse 

 to say, or he may answer that lie does not know ; 

 but he will not name another breed than that to 

 which she really belongs. The original reason of 

 this is, perhaps, that among themselves there is no 

 deception possible, for secrets do not exist in a 

 Bedouin camp, and each man knows his neighbour's 



