Page 146 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

VIII.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 107

specting his camels. He related many sin­

gular cases of the attachment which the Be-
dowins bear towards these useful animals.

In order to draw further information from
him I professed my incredulity on certain

points which he had mentioned. A party at

this moment happened to be approaching
from an opposite direction, and Hamed,

somewhat nettled, proposed to test the truth
of his statements by what I should wit­

ness. The parties approached : “ May God
Almighty break the leg of your camel !”

bawled out Hamed to the foremost of the
party, who was riding somewhat in advance

of the others. Without a moment’s hesitation
the stranger threw himself from his beast,

and advanced sword in hand on Hamed, who
would probably have had but little reason to

congratulate himself on his experiment, if
several of our party had not thrown them­

selves before him, and explained the story.
But the Arab still appeared deeply offended,

and replied to all that was brought forward
in explanation by asking “ Why he abused

his camel, and in what manner it had harmed
him?” The matter was adjusted by a few