Page 221 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (2)

NEGLECTED AKA HI A n
All along the way Mr. Dykstra asked questions about what we saw nr
thought we would like to know. The captain did all the answering
but he kept us guessing as to the answer, whether it would be the grunt
of the Indian or an intelligent, interested response. Several times
before getting to the marshes, when the water ran low and the men
had to get out to push and pull, Mr. Dykstra pulled with them but
for short distances only, owing to the swampy ground. This spirit
of co-operation pleased them greatly. Any little, insignificant act of
goodwill is likely to produce ready results with these simple, un­
sophisticated people. A matter they greatly deplored was the fact
that we had no smokes with us to share with them. At first they
\\cre skeptical about this for non-smokers amongst Europeans, men
and women, are about as scarce as hen’s teeth. Just as soon as they
could they tied up to have a smoke. The house they chose to go in

£7? , K
mS
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if.
MRS. DYKSTRA TRAVELLING IIY “MASlitlOOF."

happened to be very poverty stricken as to looks and its- inmates no
los so, yet in spite of that they seemed quite ready to share with the
men what they had and came out to the mashhoof to offer us a bowl of
dabbered milk. Our pilot of the cocked hat had shown the least
interest in work, of the three, and when he found an excuse to sit
Jown and smoke he just naturally sat as long as he could, which the
captain and the "push” bore patiently.
About half an hour before coming to our destination we were met
by the waters of another branch of the Tigris, called the. llataira, which
branches off some thirteen miles above Amara. The question which is
llataira water and which is Tabr is a most important problem for the
various sheiks because on it depends their crops. These men jealously
juard their waters and any infringement upon them leads to great
JUputeS which the Irrigation Officer and Political Advisor of Amara