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

24 Bcdo7tin Tribes of the Euph^'ates. [ch. xvn.
village between us and Tudmiir, and bound for
Deyr to buy corn. Mohammed knew some of the
people, who by the way were all armed with guns,
and who got them out for use when they saw us
galloping up ; and an animated conversation ensued
about the price of cereals on the Euphrates. To
each in turn as he came up we put the question,
" Have you seen anything of the Anazeh ? " and
each in turn answered, " ''"'
Hamdullah (praise be to
God), we have seen no Bedouins." The last man
in the caravan hailed us from a distance, and asked
AVilfrid if he could give him any news of Faris,
The question was curiously dpropos, and we stopped
and had some conversation with him. He told us
he was the Sheykh of Sokhne and that Faris Jerl)a
was his brother. A month ao'o some of the Jerlja
had taken camels belonging to him in a raid they
made upon the villagers of Sokhne, and he was
going to Faris to get them back in riglit of his
brotherhood. AVe told him, much to his surprise,
that Wilfrid also was Faris's brother, and that he
would find him on the Khabur. He then informed
us that though nothing had yet been seen of the
Anazeh this spring, it was reported that they were
on their way north, not more than three or four
days* journey from Bir, a well and guard-house we
should come to this evening. Wilfrid scribbled a
note to the Consul, telling of the break-down of our
* Spelt as pronounced both by the Bedouins, and by the inhabitants
of the desert towns.