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

CHAPTER XYIII.
" With kings and counsellors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves."
Book of Job.
Politics
iu Tudmtir—A blood- feuti—Ali Bey tho Circassian—Intrigues
and counter-intrigues — A meeting in camp — The
Mudir lectui'ed on liis duties—News of the Anazeh.
March 30.—Mohammed's family consists first
of all of liis father Abclallah, Sheykh of the village
of Tudmiir, an old man of seventy, who, as is usual
among the Arabs when they get infirm, gives in to
his son in all things and leaves him practically at the
head of the house. Then there are Mohammed's
two wives, who of course occupy a
separate apartment,
and his mother and some sisters. He has
only one child, a little girl of three, and is very
downhearted at having no sou, for it is a disgrace
to be what they call childless in these countries,
that is without male offspring. He talks of
going next year iu consequence to the Jof and
getting a third wife of his own people, the Beni
Laam. He complains that there are very few
" noble " families in Tudmur, and hardly any
choice for him of a bride among them, for though
common wives are to be had in plenty, and at
the price of only ten pounds apiece as compared