172 PARTY OF BEDOUIN WOMEN. 



some convenient trees, and at one place we sat 

 until the camels came up. Here we found a wel- 

 come spring of pure water, that was absorbed again 

 by the sand, almost immediately after its escape 

 from the little circles of stones, through which it 

 bubbled. It was embosomed in a grove of sweetly 

 smelling mimosa trees, that grew very luxuriantly, 

 favoured by the constant moisture of the soil. We 

 all drank heartily of the clear sweet water, and 

 reclined upon patches of a fine velvet-like grass, 

 that beneath the tallest and more solitary trees 

 spread a beautiful green carpet for our repose. 



Whilst thus enjoying our rest, two women 

 and a girl appeared at the opposite extremity of 

 the valley, driving a few goats before them; their 

 empty water-skins were fixed upon the loins, and 

 each carried a small cup, made of a dried gourd- 

 shell, with which they lift the water from the spring 

 into the skins. Their dog w r as with them, a kind 

 of long-legged harrier of a red and white colour, 

 which saluted us after the usual canine fashion, and 

 received a shower of stones in return. The women 

 did not seem to be disturbed by our appearance, 

 but came and saluted all present (myself excepted) 

 in their peculiar manner. I now learnt, much to 

 my surprise, that one of them w T as the mother of 

 Omah Suis, who instead of being one of the Hy 

 Soumaulee tribe, with whom I had previously 

 classed him, was a Debenee, and son of Abucarl, 

 the last chief of that tribe, and w r ould, should he 



