354 REFUSE A WIFE. 



It now seemed as if there were a trial between us, 

 of who should be the kindest to the other ; but he 

 certainly beat me, for in a very short time after he 

 left me on this occasion, he returned with one of 

 his daughters, a girl about fourteen years old, and 

 wished me to receive her either as a temporary or a 

 permanent wife ; but as T had no idea of marriage 

 even with royalty, I waived the honour intended, 

 making a very good excuse, that having refused the 

 daughter of the Sultaun of Tajourah under similar 

 circumstances, I could not, without offending him, 

 contract any engagements of the kind with other 

 princesses on the road. Although this was not 

 actually the fact as regarded myself, still, as it 

 occurred to my companion, Mr. Cruttenden, to 

 whom the Sultaun of Tajourah had offered his 

 daughter for one hundred dollars, I did not hesitate 

 to make use of the circumstance, to assist me in 

 the dilemma I was in, of having to refuse the hand 

 of a native, so highly connected with the rank and 

 fashion of the country. Abu Bukeree was satisfied 

 with my explanation, and the young lady herself 

 was delighted, at her narrow escape from an intro- 

 duction into civilized life. 



There can be no doubt that the Dankalli 

 Bedouins, especially the younger of both sexes, live 

 in common. With this division of the Debenee, 

 from some unexplained reason, we lived upon the 

 most friendly terms; communication with each 

 other was as free and as unreserved as if in 



