Page 105 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)
P. 105
66 TRAVELS IN OMAN.
CHAPTER VI.
Sooltan—Visit to the Sheikh's Wife and Sister—Attachment to
Ancient Customs — Admiration of the English—Peasants—
Speech of Bedowin Ladies—Feast—War Dance—Camel Race
—Arrival of a Geneba Chief—The Author proposes a visit to
his Horde—Departure—Anecdote—Features of the Desert—
Appearance of my Companion—Costume—Love of Song—
Musical Instruments—Summer Tree—Tales of Love and War
—Intense Cold — Game of Leap Frog—Sheikh's Wives—In
terior of a Tent—Foliage of the Summer Tree—Description
of the Bern Geneba—Singular substitute for a Canoe—Shark
Fishing—Salubrious Climate—Modes of Punishment—Start
for Beni-Abu 'Ali—A Bedowin Foray.
Towards noon I went, accompanied by his
son Sooltan, to visit the wife and sister of the
old Sheikh, who was now absent on the pil
grimage to Mecca. We passed through a
dirty court-yard filled with cattle into a small
apartment, the doorway of which was crossed
by a stile, to secure it from their intrusion.
This, however, seemed insufficient, for seve
