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HISTORY OF THE WAHABEES. 



been remarkably handsome; he had a fine coun- 

 tenance, and wore a longer beard than is generally 

 seen among the Bedouins ; a peculiarity which ob- 

 tained him the name of Abu Shouareb or Father 

 of Mustachios. All the Arabs, even his enemies, 

 praised him for his wisdom and moderation, his 

 love of justice and skill in deciding litigations. 



For several years after his father's death he wore 

 a coat-of-mail under his shirt, and never went 

 abroad except with a chosen guard around him. 

 His dominions he divided into several districts or 

 provinces, over which he placed the great Bedouin 

 sheiks, with the honorary title of emirs ; whose 

 principal duty it was to execute public justice, to 

 assist the tax-gatherers, and recruit troops for the 

 army. The vigilant and rigid policy which they 

 were compelled to maintain tended to secure the 

 country against robbers, and to check the sanguin- 

 ary feuds of hostile parties; but the new system 

 was not popular, and the frequent revolts of the 

 Bedouins proved how impatient they were of re- 

 straints so directly opposed to their habits of wild 

 and lawless independence. The several tribes were 

 made responsible for every depredation committed 

 within their territory, should the perpetrator be un- 

 known ; and if they had neglected to repel or resist 

 the aggression, they were amerced in a fine equiva- 

 lent to the amount of the cattle or other property 

 that had been carried off. 



The revenues of the Wahabees had been esta- 

 blished on a plan similar to that prescribed by 

 Mohammed. On fields watered solely by rain 

 Saoud levied a tithe of the crops; but he was 

 content with only a twentieth part from grounds 



