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

CH. XX.] Bedouin Tactics. 1 2
We tliouglit lie seemed rather ashamed of liimself,
Lut it is evident he is not a man of war,
A little further on we overtook Mohammed Dukhi
in a similar
position, keeping guard over his sliee]»,
for the Welled Ali have their sheep with them, and
these are always sent to the front on a mareli.
JVlohammed Dukhi has the excuse of his lost arm,
and at least he shows energy in council. The thing,
however, struck us as unworthy of a man of his
reputation.
About a mile beyond the tell, and in sight of the
Tudmur hills, Beteyen stopped, and the Gomussa
tents soon made a Ijrave show on the level plain they
have chosen, with the Welled Ali in front of them,
and other tribes arrivino- from the east and southeast.
It was terribly hot, and we had a disagreeal^lc
hour's waiting in the sun before the tents were
pitched, and then we discovered that there was no
water, nor had we brought any with us in the hurry
of the retreat. This is most annoying as it hampers
our movements in every way, and will oblige us probably
to make a forced march to-morrow. If it
was not for Beteyen's mare, which we still
hope to
get, we would not stay here now, but go Ijack to
the pools we have left. AVe have not come more
than twelve miles to-day.
While waiting in this ^^'ay, young ]\Ieshur came
in from the rear with information that the Eoiila
had retreated, at least from our part of the line,
and everybody was delighted at the news. Still