Page 150 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

VIII.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. Ill

gravity and self-importance of this youngster,
who appeared perfectly well acquainted with

the numbers, resources, and distribution of
the native tribes, and his conversation on

these and other subjects was free and unem­
barrassed, and, at the same time, highly en­

tertaining. It may be observed, generally, of
the Arabs, and particularly of the Bedowins,

that their boys share the confidence and the
councils of the men at a very early age; and
on several other occasions I have seen their

youths exert their influence in a manner that

to us would appear preposterous. But it is a
part of their system of education to cease
treating them as children at a very early

period, and they acquire, therefore, the
gravity and demeanour of men at an age

when our youth are yet following frivolous
pursuits, and being birched into propriety of

conduct and manners.
I amused the whole assembled party this

evening with Bruce’s experiment of firing a
candle through two parts of an inch deal

plank. When I proposed it they declared
the thing impossible, and in this opinion

they were stanchly supported by our young