THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS 255 



not satisfy his affectionate heart more than a camel. 

 "A woman is so much cheaper," he sighed, and told 

 us that among the ekhwan no dowry is paid to the 

 bride's father. A small gift of silk or gold is given to 

 the mother and sisters, perhaps a necklace or bracelet 

 to the girl herself and there the expense ends. "Twenty- 

 five mejidies are enough," said Yusuf; "but if one 

 wants to take the daughter of a Beduin sheikh one 

 must paj^ many camels." "How many?" I asked. "Oh, 

 ten, twenty, fifty and one must give the girl silk and 

 cloth for her clothes besides!" He dropped into medi- 

 tative silence. 



One by one we saw the landmarks of the Zieghen 

 track to the west and learned that the north-westerly 

 course we were following had been the original Zieghen 

 route till one Mohammed Sherif established the present 

 more direct way. First we saw the Gardia, a square 

 block of dark cliff, then the Garet es Sherif, called after 

 a traveller who shortened by a day the Kufara-Jalo 

 journey, and late in the afternoon a conical hill called 

 The Kheima (tent) by Mojabras and The Mohgen 

 (funnel) by Zouias. One great advantage we had over 

 our previous journey. This time the sun was behind 

 us all the time. The difference was enormous. Riding 

 or walking for twelve hours day after day straight into 

 a blazing sun, without hat brim or umbrella, had been 

 very trying to one's eyes and head. Altogether the 

 absence of glare, the feeling that the larger part of our 

 work was done, with no necessity to placate a constantly 

 irritated retinue or to weld together the most in- 

 harmonious human elements, caused us to regard the 

 dreary kilometres that lay before us as the most peaceful 

 part of our journey. 



"I want to see the white sands again," I said and 

 urged my little expedition on into the rose-pui'ple hills. 



