356 SOCIAL STATE OF THE ARABS. 



the course of the morning. Many secret transactions 

 are brought to light by this curious art : an offender 

 can scarcely hope to escape detection in any clan- 

 destine proceeding, as every footstep may be a wit- 

 ness against him, by recording his guilt on the pub- 

 lic road, and in characters which he that runs may 

 read. Of their remarkable acuteness in hearing, 

 some wonderful but well-attested anecdotes are told 

 of those who act as pilots in the Red Sea. They 

 know very nearly the time when ships from India 

 arrive ; and going down to the water's edge every 

 night and morning, they lay their ear close to the 

 surface for three or four minutes ; and if the ship is 

 not more than 2 or 2| degrees distant (120 or 150 

 miles) they can hear the report of the signal-gun 

 or feel the ground shake, upon which they imme- 

 diately set off with their pilot-boat.'* 



The Arabs are thoroughly inured to fatigue, and 

 can endure hunger and thirst to a surprising degree. 

 They sometimes travel five days without tasting 

 water, and can discover a brook or a natural spring 

 by examining the soil and plants in the environs. 

 They are dexterous horsemen, swift of foot, ex- 

 pert in handling their arms, and reckoned good 

 marksmen since they became familiar with the use 

 of the musket. Their most common arms are lances, 

 sabres, matchlocks, pistols, and daggers. The shep- 

 herds have slings, with which they throw stones 

 with great precision. The lance is made of wood 

 or bamboo, twelve feet long, with an iron or steel 

 pointed head. Occasionally they are covered with 



* Captain Newland mentions an instance of a ship which, after 

 firing the morning gun, ran 95 miles by the log; and when the 

 pilot came on board in the evening he declared he had heard the 

 signal at sunrise, on the faith of which he had put off with his boat. 

 Philosoph. Transact., vol. Ixii. 



