Page 412 - Neglected Arabia Vol 2

I

•si EG LUC iliD AKAIUA
4

write these lines, word comes ot a special expedition to explore fladhra-
in.aul and the recent Air Reconnaissance of lladhrainaul of which an
account is given in the Geographical Journal leaves the impression that
scarcely anything remains to he discovered. Mr. R. A. Cochran, the leader
of the squadron which surveyed this part of South Arabia, however, writes:
“I find it difficult to sum up my impressions of the Hadhramaut, par-
ticularly as these impressions are only based on a few short flights over
the area, helped to some extent by subsequent examination of the photo­
graphs. There is no doubt, however, that the Hadhramaut is a place which
has a peculiar fascination; the mere fact that the greater part of it had
never been seen by Europeans shows how isolated it is, yet although iso­
lated, life there, according to Arab standards, is highly organized ami
prosperous. There is no doubt that the country is now much more civi­
lized than it was when the Bents undertook their journey in 1894, hut
although motor cars arc now common, and the towns have been peered
at from the air, I think it will be many years before the Hadhramaut loses
its isolation or the peculiar attraction which this lends it.”
When we remember that the Arabian Mission called attention to this
Southern Province thirty-five years ago and that the whole of this pan
of Arabia is still unoccupied, the descriptions given of the daily life of
these people come as a challenge to the church of Christ. Everything else
seems to have found its way into this part of Arabia, except the gospel.
“The first big town is S/iibum, standing four-square between high walls
on a slight rise in the wadi bed near the southern cliff. The first and dis­
tant view is surprising enough, but a closer inspection shows that the need
for protection can make houses grow tall quite as effectively as high ground
rents. When one considers that the houses are mostly built of mud it
seems an amazing feat to design them to withstand the weight of seven
stories. As an indication of the wealth of these towns the Bents mention
in their book that the Sultan of Shibam’s father had left eleven million
rupees to be divided among his numerous family. The present Sultan’s
castle is a fine building standing in extensive date gardens. The next big
town, Saiwun, is a complete contrast, for although it is surrounded by a
wall much of the town straggles outside it, and comfortable country villa*
lie dotted among the date palms. . . . Even so, from the air Tarim, with
its neighbouring villages, comes close to Saiwun as the largest town in
the Hadhramaut, and it is certainly situated in the most attractive sur­
roundings. Outside one of the big houses one is quite likely to see a motor
car, which seems odd in a town which has never been visited by a Burn- J
pean; but in recent years the demand for cars has been growing, ami j
we were told in Makalla that there are now some fifty or sixty in the Had- ;
hramaut. They are taken to pieces at Makalla, transported by camel acru* j
the mountains, and re-erected on arrival. Although the going may be soft j
there do not appear to be any serious obstacles in the way of driving a car '
anywhere in the inhabited portion of the lladhrainaul.”
Is it not a tragedy and a rebuke to read that in this part of Arabia
young Chinese girls are still imported as slaves by the wealthy classes ami
are then “converted” into Islam? When the African slave-trade was in.
terferred with by British gunboats, this white-slave traffic apparently took
its place. Nevertheless, there are many thousands of male and female
Negro slaves in this part of Hadhramaut.1
B.adv Kathleen's Slavery, pp. 49-46 (London, 1930).

J