152 Report on the Island of Socotra. [March, 



Of their habitations. In a moist climate like Socotra, it would be 

 impossible for several months to live in tents ; and as the variation of the 

 seasons compels the Bedouins to shift with their flocks in search of pas- 

 turage, it may be considered as a bountiful provision that they are 

 in the numerous natural caverns with which the limestone hills abound., 

 provided with habitations ready fashioned to their hands. A Bedouin 

 merely selects one of these, which from its size and situation is best calcu- 

 lated for his purpose ; he then by means of loose stone walls portions off 

 different apartments for himself and family, while the remainder is left to 

 afford shelter to his flock. Singular spots are occasionally chosen for these 

 places of abode : I have seen them on the face of a nearly vertical hill, at 

 the height of 800 feet from the plain. In the valleys, and on the margin, 

 they have another description of dwelling place : the rocks there whenever 

 limestone occurs is equally cavernous with the hills : a cave is selected ; they 

 widen if necessary the entrance, so as to allow it to open into an enclosure ; 

 the upper part is then covered over with rafters, on which turf and some 

 earth is placed, so that it becomes difficult at a short distance to distinguish 

 it from the surrounding country : a wall constructed of loose stones encloses 

 a circular space about 30 yards in diameter, which serves at night as a fold 

 for their sheep and goats. I visited the interior of several of these : the 

 only furniture they contained was a stone for grinding corn, some skins on 

 which they sleep, other skins for holding water or milk, some earthen 

 cooking pots, and a few Camelines hanging on lines taken across the roof. 

 In one of these tied by the four corners and suspended from a peg by a 

 string, you will frequently see ;i child sleeping. It also serves as a cradle, 

 which they swing to and fro when they wish to compose it to sleep. In 

 hot-weather, when the ground is parched with heat, these caverns are of a 

 clammy coldness; the Bedouins are by no means particular in keeping them 

 clean, and they usually swarm with fleas and other vermin. A few days 

 after my first arrival, I had occasion to ascend a mountain on the southern 

 side of the island, seeking for plants ; and other pursuits had detained me 

 until it was too late to descend. I therefore took up my quarters with a 

 Bedouin's family in one of these caverns. It was formed by the overhang- 

 ing of an enormous rock, which left a sheltered space of 50 yards in length 

 and 10 in breadth. In the interior the surface of the limestone exhibited 

 rounded masses, with cellular cavities in and between them ; but I could 

 not discover any stalactitic traces. These were the first Bedouins we had 

 met with, and none of the party had seen Europeans before. Our coming 

 unexpectedly on them, therefore, created with thefemales some little alarm; 

 but a few words of explanation from our guide soon quieted them : a few 

 needles to the females and some tobacco to the men set the whole party 

 in good humour. Milk, dates, and whatever their cave afforded was readily 

 placed before us, and they cheerfully assented to our request of passing 

 the night there. At our suggestion, some grass was collected for us to sleep 

 on, but this unfortunately proved an inducement for the goats and sheep, 

 which were lodged in the same part of the cavern with several members of 



