ARABIA, THE DESERT OF THE SEA 



1061 



on the men under his jurisdiction. The 

 official residence of this important person 

 is a most uninviting place, being a series 

 of rooms enclosed by three high walls 

 with intervening courts. On each cor- 

 ner of the outer wall is a tower some 30 

 feet high, from which an outlook is kept 

 across the desert in all directions. 



Wheat or barley bread is eaten as a 

 luxury in the Jowf , a kind of bread being 

 made from a small seed known as sem- 

 mah, much in appearance like red sand 

 and very unpleasant to the uncultivated 

 taste. This seed is gathered off a small 

 bush that grows wild in and about the 

 oasis. 



About all that is known of the country 

 between Jowf and the Persian Gulf has 

 come to us through the writings of Pal- 

 grave, Blunt, Doughty, and Euting, all of 

 whom traveled through the central and 

 eastern parts of the peninsula. Since 

 these were in the land so many changes 

 have occurred that the modern traveler 

 would find much fresh material to record, 

 while photographs of that land are as yet 

 practically unknown. Here, then, is a 

 field for those who are ambitious to do 

 something unusual. 



Yemen in the south is difficult of ap- 

 proach owing to the extreme jealousy 

 of the Turks on the coast. 



The principal port of Yemen is Ho- 

 deida, reached by coasting steamers from 

 Aden. The condition of this port has 

 been a subject of much discussion be- 

 tween the Powers and the Turks, the lat- 

 ter preferring the difficult approach to 

 anything that savors of improvement, or 

 that would facilitate trade or encourage 

 the native to better his condition. 



All steamers arriving at Hodeida have 

 to lie out in the open roadstead, while 

 the cargo is landed in small boats. Even 

 these cannot unload alongside the quay, 

 the bales and boxes being carried ashore 

 on men's shoulders. Both man and bur- 

 den are often deluged by the incoming 

 tide and huge waves, much to the detri- 

 ment of the merchandise and serious loss 

 of the trader. 



Hodeida has little to attract, things 

 ancient being conspicuous by their ab- 



sence. About the only things of interest 

 in this Arabian port are some finely 

 carved doors which adorn several of the 

 residences. The art of such carving 

 has passed away, none of the present 

 inhabitants being able to do such work, 

 although they appreciate and admire 

 what their grandfathers did in the times 

 that are gone (see page 1056). 



From Hodeida goods are transported 

 into all parts of Yemen, mainly on mule 

 back because of the mountainous nature 

 of the country. 



Another port of Yemen that once 

 claimed attention is Mocha. From it 

 large quantities of the finest coffee used 

 to be exported, but owing to the in- 

 creased taxation, heavy export duties, 

 and robbery by the Ottoman officials the 

 Mocha coffee business is largely a thing 

 of the past. 



A large exportation of dates, rawhides, 

 spices, and mother-of-pearl is carried on. 

 from the ports of the Persian Gulf, with 

 a little more encouragement and protec- 

 tion to the native by reason of the strong 

 British influence in those partf. 



Wherever people are found in the 

 Arabian peninsula with the most lim- 

 ited number of milk-giving animals, such 

 as sheep, goats, or camels, there will be 

 found the national substitute for the lard 

 of the Occident or the olive oil of other 

 lands, a very favorite production called 

 "semmin." 



This is a butter which is made in 

 primitive, simple, and unappetizing man- 

 ner by being churned in a skin which has 

 been none too well cured and does not 

 recommend itself for cleanliness. The 

 mode of procedure is simplicity itself, 

 the milk being put into the skin and then 

 either swung backward and forward on 

 a tripod, or rolled to and fro on the 

 ground, until the fat of the milk forms 

 itself into butter. A favorite dish to set 

 before a distinguished guest is a mixture 

 of dates and butter. 



Another interesting fact about the 

 Arabian people is their complete absti- 

 nence from all kinds of intoxicating 

 drinks. Many little etiquettes are ob- 

 served in connection with the serving of 



