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

144 Bcdoidn Tribes of the Eiiphrates. [en. xxr.
all we wished. He liad no quarrel with Jeddan
though his wife had left him, and the Sebaa have
suffered more than his own people in the war ; but
he must wait and see which way the Roala wished
to go. At present they wished him to make this
journey to Damascus. They could not stay where
they were, for the grass was all eaten up, and they
must cross the hills to-morrow towards Jerud, while
he would go with us straight to the town. He was
really pathetic in his lamentation about the manner
in which he is obliged to sacrifice his own interests
He must become poor,
to the wishes of his people.
that they may grow rich ; lie must find mares and
camels, to satisfy the hunger of the Osmanlis, that
the Roala may trade freely with the townspeople
and felhiliin,—and soon he will be ruined. I have
not much respect for Sotamm, but I cannot help
liking and pitying him. He is only weak.
"We have had a most sumptuous dinner this
evening, and there is singing and dancing going
on in our neighbourhood, in honour of some feast of
circumcision.
April 15.—^While the tents were being pulled
down and the camels loaded, I had half-an-hour s
conversation Avith Ghiowseh, Sotamm's first wife, the
one with whom Jedaan's daughter has quarrelled.
Fortunately, everybody but we two was busy, so
we could talk without being interrupted by the
busybodies, w^hich generally surround one in the
women's tent.
Ghiow^seh is pretty, slight and small