TRIUMPHANT ARRIVAL AT JALO 107 



they are a closely knitted religious fraternity imbued with 

 a distrust of strangers that almost amounts to hatred! 

 Not only does the Nasrani not cross their border, but 

 practically no Arab outside their brotherhood travels by 

 their routes. Hence the advent of any stranger, even 

 protected by the "Sayeds," gives birth to a storm of 

 conjecture, criticism and suspicion. AVhen this is 

 satisfied and allayed, their loyal friendliness appears, and 

 they welcome one literally as one of themselves. "All 

 that we have is yours," is not a form of speech in Libya. 

 It is true so long as the friendly atmosphere exists, but 

 one may have worked for hours or days to create the 

 right impression, and a chance word may destroy it. I 

 think utter simplicity and little speech are the best 

 methods of approach. Flowery words impress them, and 

 they say, "Thy conversation is like honey. Allow me 

 to return that I may drink of it." But to themselves 

 they murmur, "He is a juggler of words. Let us be 

 careful lest he bemuse us!" 



They always suspect an ulterior motive and it is best, 

 therefore, to satisfy their love of mystery and let them 

 gradually decipher a suitable one. The basis of their 

 life is their faith and, like every ascetic sect, their strict 

 practice isolates them from the rest of humanity. Out- 

 side the distrust engendered by their lives, aloof and 

 remote from any code but their own, they are as simple 

 as the shepherd patriarchs of old. The mentality of 

 Abraham exists to-day in Libya. Also they are as easily 

 impressed, offended or hurt as children. The poorer 

 people show the amused, expectant curiosity of children, 

 with the same eagerness to question and to learn. Once 

 they have admitted one to their friendship, the sheikhs 

 ask intelhgently about politics in the Middle East, and 

 for hours one may discuss the Ottoman Empire, the 

 Hejaz and Egj^pt. Before, however, one can even 



