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

58 BedGuin Tribes of the Euphrates, [ch. xviu.
a stone head lie dug up here last year, a relic of no
great value, but authentic. It has probably served
to decorate an arch, after the fashion of the
sculptures at El Haddr. Indeed, the architecture
of both places is singularly alike. Abdallah tells
hie that no Franks have been to Tudmur for the
last two years. Formerly some came every spring ;
but lately, for some reason he cannot explain, they
have not appeared here.
Still Palmyra must be too
well known for any description of the ruins to be
necessary. I asked him whether he regretted the
old state of things before the Turkish occupation,
and he told me " No, it was better now, for the taxes
were levied more regularly. When the town was
tributary to the Bedouins, one never knew when
they would be satisfied. The feuds, too, in old
times made life insecure." So even Turkish government
seems to be better than none at all. The
]\Iesrab, a section of the Eesallin tribe of Sebila
Anazeh, used to levy tax on Tudmur, and exercise
tlie rio'ht of escortino; travellers there, l)ut now all
is changed, and the route from Damascus through
Karieteyn is quite safe. The old man has been
very kind to us all the time we have been here, and
we have taken leave of him with reoret.
A last attempt at delaying our journey has been
made. We were ridino; out of the eate of Tudmur
wdien Hassan met us, and with an air of importance
laid his liand upon my marc's bridle. He bego'ed