Page 377 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

338 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [ch.

the towns within them are a proud, high-
minded race, less corrupted or degenerated

than those who, in other parts of Arabia, have
passed from the pastoral to the agricultural

state : their permanent residence and attach­

ment to the soil has indeed stripped them
of but few of those distinctive qualities which

are possessed by their brethren of the Desert.
They are hospitable, brave, and generous, but

at the same time vindictive, irascible, and in
a high degree susceptible of insult.

The most bloody affrays have originated

from causes the most trifling; and I will
mention, by way of proof, an incident to

which I became an eye-witness. A family
from a neighbouring tribe being on a visit to

another in Bedi’ah, the son, a boy about ten

years of age, while engaged in a struggle with
another lad belonging to the town, received

accidentally a cuff, which was intended by
the father of the latter, who had come to

separate them, for his own son. The former

went away crying to his family, who were
highly exasperated, and immediately took

their departure for their own tribe. On the

following morning, a deputation arrived at