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

1 1 2 Bedonin Tribes of the Euphrates, [ch. xx.
Dakhmeh a picture of beauty, but smaller. ]Mr. S.
has been trying to persuade Beteyen to transfer liis
new purchase, Abeyeli Sherrdk, to us, but I fear it
will be without success. He at first said lie would,
but afterwards recalled his assent, on the
plea that
just now, with the Rodla war on his hands, it would
not look well for him to part with a useful mare.
is probably a matter of money, and we have too
little with us to be able to offer a really over-powering
price. Some Englishmen, who visited the Gomussa
near Aleppo a few years ago, seem to have impressed
them all with the idea that it is as easy to get
£500 as £50 from a European.
We were sitting in our tent lookino; at the horses
which were brought us from time to time, when a
young man of a most agreeable countenance came
and sat down in front of it, after saluting Mr. S.
At first we did not know who he was, but presently
he explained that he was IMeshiir ibn ]\Iershid ;
]\Ir.
It
and
S. recognised him as the son of one of his oldest
friends, Mitbakh, Suliraan ilm Mershid's elder
brother, and we made him come and sit by us.
This is the young man who was said to have
murdered Ibn Shaalan in his own tent, and who
had sent us the invitation we received at Aleppo
quite at the beginning of our travels. The circumstance
interested us, and we asked him what his
feelino;
it to go on.
was about the war, and whether he wished
""
Ouf,^' he answered, ("certainly,")
" it must." " But you and your people have