384 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



BEDOUINS TRAINING FOR WAR AGAINST THE TURKS 



The English and French succeeded in making good infantrymen of Bedouins, but the 

 major part of their fighting was by cavalry or camel corps. One requirement for an applicant 

 wishing to join the "crack" camel corps is to be able to vault into the saddle with the aid of 

 one hand while the other holds a rifle. 



dog is the slughi, a sort of greyhound, 

 much used in coursing hares and gazelles. 



Of wild animals there are but few 

 kinds. In the hills north of Nejran and 

 in Oman there lurks a small, fierce tiger, 

 so bold that it readily attacks men. A 

 particular pest is the fahd, or panther, 

 which makes inroads on flocks all over 

 the peninsula. Then there are wolves, 

 foxes, and hyenas, and down in Yemen 

 a few long-tailed, black-faced monkeys. 



As far north as Bagdad one sees the 

 graceful little jerboa, or kangaroo rat, 

 skipping swiftly over the plain. This 

 tiny creature is white and fawn-colored, 

 with a long tail and powerful hind legs, 

 built for long jumping. The Bedouins 

 eat it. its flavor being similar to that of 

 rabbit. 



CRUDE Tools AM) DKMCATIC l<rUGRJv£ 



The nomad tribes, from necessity, have 

 always tanned their own leather, woven 



coarse cloth for their zibboons, tents, and 

 blankets, and practiced rough blacksmith 

 work, saddlery, and sandal-making. 



In towns like Maskat and Jidda some 

 beautifully woven stuffs are produced, 

 including silk and gold-thread embroid- 

 ery and silver and gold filigree work, 

 bracelets, anklets, spangles, and other 

 jewelry. There are also a few skilled 

 metal-workers at Maskat, as at Bagdad, 

 whose work in steel is highly regarded. 

 Swords, spears, and knives are largely 

 manufactured, all by hand, and the trade 

 in them is brisk and constant. 



But all over Arabia production is cur- 

 tailed by crude, primitive tools, the utter 

 absence of lathes, drills, etc., and often by 

 the scarcity of raw material, much of 

 which is imported. Few skilled work- 

 men, and no factories at all as we know 

 them, with machinery, warehouses, and 

 long pay-rolls, exist anywhere in Arabia. 

 There are not even any good brick- 



