Bedouin Tribes of the Euphrates Vol 2 - The Search For Mecca

CH. XIX.] A Pool of Rain IVatcr. 85
some doubt as to wlietlier tlic marnao-c is a Icn-al
one.
As soon as our camels liad arrived at the new
lialting-place, and the tents liad been pitched, wiwent
oft'
in search of water for our mares, leaving
the lout Turki sprawling in our tent. The mares
had had none yesterday, and were suffering from
want of it in the hot sun. Jedaan's people ^\•erc'
equally without Avater, but they were either too lazy
to fetch it or indifterent about their beasts' comfort
and, though they talked vaguely of water being close
l)y, they made no move towards it. So we Avent
tiway by ourselves with Mohammed in the direction
pointed out to us, and about three miles off found a
large pool of rain-Avater, beyond A\d]ich
another Bedouin
camp Avas established.
The mares, poor things,
Avere very glad to get their noses into the muddy
AA^ater, and Ave thought Avould never stop drinking.
My Nej dean mare, however, is a very curious drinker.
She only puts the tips of her lijDS to the Avater and
takes several minutes sijiping the amount of a.
bucket full, while Hagar thrusts her Avliole muzzle
in and drinks voraciously.
The tents proved to belong to the Motiyaja, one
of the Sebaa tribes, and, when the mares were satisfied,
Ave Avent on to pay a visit to their Sheykli.
They were only just arrived, and the Sheykh's tent
was not yet pitched, but he received us in that of
his uncle Ali. Ferhan-ibn-Hedel^ is a young man
of tAVO or three and tAventy, and has the most