SOCIAL STATE OF THE ARABS. 309 



cus manufacture drawn across, and fastened to the 

 three middle posts. 



The furniture comprises pack-saddles, as well as 

 those for riding, large water-bags made of tanned 

 camel-skins, goat-skins for milk and butter, the 

 little bag into which the hair or wool is put that falls 

 from the sheep and camels on the road, the leather 

 bucket for drawing up water from deep wells, a cop- 

 per pan, coffee-pot, mortar, hand-mill, wooden dishes, 

 the horse's feeding bag, and the iron chain which 

 fastens their forefeet w^hile pasturing about the 

 camp. The Arabs seldom allow their women to be 

 seen ; and when a stranger is introduced, the cry of 

 tarik (or retire) w^arns them instantly to disappear. 

 It is reckoned a breach of decorum to salute a lady, 

 or even to look her steadfastly in the face. 



The mode of encamping differs according to cir- 

 cumstances. When the tents are but few, they are 

 pitched in a circle {dowar) ; if the number is con- 

 siderable they extend in a straight line, perhaps 

 along a rivulet, in rows three or four deep. The 

 sheik's is always on the side where danger is ap- 

 prehended, or where travellers are expected ; it being 

 his particular business to oppose the former and to 

 honour the latter. Every chief sticks his lance into 

 ground in front of his tent, to which he ties his 

 horse or camel ; the pack-saddles forming the couch 

 on which he and his guests recline. When wan- 

 dering in search of water or pasture, they move in 

 parties slowly over the sandy plain. The armed 

 horsemen ride foremost, as a reconnoitring detach- 

 ment ; the flocks with their young follow ; behind 

 come the beasts of burden, loaded with the women 

 and children, tents, baggage, and provision. 



The ordinary costume of the Bedouins is ex- 

 tremely simple, consisting of a coarse cotton shirt, 

 over which is v/orn a thin, light, white woollen man- 

 tle {kombaz), or sometimes one of a coarser kind (the 

 ebba), striped white and brown. The wealthy sub- 



