236 Bedojiin Tribes of the Etiphrates. [ch. xxvn, 



seven independent tril^es, each owning its separate 

 Slieykh, and bound together by ties of blood. Each 

 is accounted the equal of its neighbour, and they 

 recognise no common civil authority. They have, 

 however, from time immemorial marched together, 

 and in war time fiwht under a common leader. The 

 same may be said of the four tribes of the Fediian, 

 while a still wider consanguinity embraces these 

 and other tribes, including the Koala itself, in the 

 great clan of Anazeli. It is many years however 

 since the Anazeh fought together under one common 

 leader. The Shammar, though divided into twenty 

 different sections, each owning a Sheykh, acknow- 

 ledge one supreme chieftain common to them all, 

 Ibn Sfiik of the Jerba tribe. The Jelaas tribes, in 

 like manner, acknowledge Ibn ShaaMn. 



In time of Avar, the authority of the Sheykh, 

 except in civil matters, is superseded by that of a 

 military commander, chosen entirely for his personal 

 merits by the tribe, who becomes at once their 

 leader and commands the obedience of all, even of 

 the Sheykh himself. This officer is called the Akid 

 or Agid, (whence the English " guide "), literally 

 the leader ; and he is entrusted with all military 

 operations and plans, ghazus, excursions and re- 

 treats. He is often the Sheykh himself, but not by 

 any means always so. Sotamm ibn Shaalan, who 

 is certainly Sheykh of the most powerful tribe in 

 the desert, is not their Akid ; and the seven tribes of 

 the Sebiia are at this moment so destitute of mili- 



