1835.] Report on the Island of Socotru. 153 



the family to visit and run over us repeatedly during the night, so that we 

 obtained but little rest. 



The men pass their time in tending their flocks, in collecting dragon's 

 blood, or aloes, and in occasional visits to the town, when the two latter 

 with their glii are exchanged for dates, dhona, the jawari of India, and clothes. 

 Accustomed to traverse these mountains from childhood, they perfoi'm on 

 these occasions journeys of 30 or 40 miles, climbing almost perpendicular 

 precipices, and crossing deep ravines, without occasionally experiencing any 

 fatigue or inconvenience. The principal employment of the females abroad 

 is also looking after their flocks ; at home they make ghi, curd, and spin 

 wool, which they afterwards weave into Camelines, and attend to their other 

 duties. They have a curious method of cleansing the wool : they place it 

 in a heap on the floor, over which they hold a bow, and snap the string 

 against it, until the whole of the dust has flown off. Their method of 

 weaving is also very simple, but a description of it here would occupy too 

 much space. As it is very difficult to procure steel of any description on 

 the island, the Bedouins have recourse to a method of obtaining combustion, 

 which is practised by several savage nations. They procure two pieces of 

 wood, the one hard Nebek (if procurable), and the other a short flat lath, 

 from a date branch. The former is about 12 inches in length, and is 

 inserted into a hollow, which is formed for that purpose in the latter. 



The stick is then twirled briskly between the two palms, until the dust 

 which is worn out by the friction, and which escapes down the side by a 

 small grove cut near one side of the hollow, ignites. The dust is then 

 placed on the top of a palm-branch, and a flame is soon produced. They 

 have a method of obtaining a whiff of tobacco equally curious and simple. 

 They slip off a branch of the Luhah tree of the required length and 

 thickness for the tube, the extremity of this is then cut much in the same 

 way as we do a quill before we split it : this part serves as a bowl, in which 

 the tobacco is placed, while a small wooden plug, having a hole in its 

 centre, at once prevents it from ascending the tube, and at the same time 

 permits the smoke to be inhaled. 



Food, §c. The Bedouins subsist principally on milk, and the grain and 

 dates which they receive in exchange for their ghi. Whenever occasion 

 calls for it, or a visitor arrives, they kill a goat or sheep ; their mode of 

 cooking is very simple: they separate the meat from the bones, cut it into 

 small pieces, and boil the whole in an earthen pot ; they use no dishes, and 

 the meat is placed on a small mat, round which they seat themselves in 

 eating. Contrary to the usual practice of the Musalmans, these islanders 

 always cut their meat with knives, which are procured from the whalers 

 and other vessels that touch at the island. 



The moral character of the Bedouins stands high. The absence of any 

 heinous crimes among them has already been noticed, and in general they 

 may be considered as a lively generous race ; but the most distinguishing 

 trait of their character is their hospitality, which is practised alike by all, 

 and is only limited by the means of the individual who is called on to 

 x 



