153 MifcelUneA Curiofa. VoU III, 



the Profped of the River the greater part 

 of the Way; the neareft Reach thereof not 

 being above an Hours Riding from the Foun- ^ 

 tain. On the Road we met with feyeral Ban-- 

 der4\ of the Emir's Soldiers, who knowing 

 our Guide, and underflanding we were going 

 • to him, gave us a very courteous Sal am ^ who 

 clfe, perhaps, might have treated us with 

 another fort of Civility. The King's Tents 

 fpread over a large Plain, and took up fo 

 vail a Space, tHdt though we had the advan- 

 tage of a lifmg Ground, we could not fee the 

 uttermoft extent of them. His own parti- 

 cular Tent was pretty near the middle of the 

 reft, which were pitch'd about it, not in a 

 circular manner, but ftretching out in length 

 as the Plain open'd, ot fbr the better conve- 

 niency gf^g; Current of XVater, which from 

 the Fountain ran through the midft of tthem. 

 'Twas not at all diftinguifliable from the reft^ 

 but by its bignefs, and a little more Compa- 

 ny about it, being all made of a fort of 

 Hair-Cloth, which f^emed hardly a defence 

 againft Pvain or ,Stin : But certainly thejrinuft 

 find othcfyvife, elije their Neceffity \ (they 

 ipending their Lives in fuch moveable Habi- 

 tations) would ;have taught them to have, 

 contrived fomething better. It cannot well 

 be doubted but they are delcended from the 

 old Arabs -Scenit^^ P^^J living ' juft after the 

 ftme manner, having no fettled Abode, but 

 • remove from Foifntain to poiintainf ^ tthey^ 

 find Grafs for their Sheep' arid <!amelsV and 

 Water for them and themfelves. They love 

 to deriye theml^lves frbm 

 Abraham j and it niay be they are defcended 



from 



