Page 28 - A Hand Book of Arabia Vol 2_Neat

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METHODS OF TRANSPORT
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the camel. According to Doughty, a horse in summer will drink
one-third more than a camel, and the carriage of . water for it on.
a long journey becomes a serious impediment. Food is hardly less
troublesome, though with the nomad tribes the difficulty is over-
come by providing the Sheikh’s mare with a foster-camel, on the
milk of which she lives when other food is not to be obtained. For
these reasons the horse is an expensive possession, and is not owned
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by poor men. Arab horses are entire, and mares are preferred for
riding. As a rule, the Bedouin rides either bare-back, or on a pad
with a slender girth, guiding his mount with a halter only ; the bit
is unknown in the desert, and hoofs are commonly left unshod.
But on the Syrian borders even Bedouin sheikhs will ride with
a Damascus saddle and stirrups, using the sharp Syrian bit; they
will also shoe their mares, purchasing their yearly provision of
horseshoes in the Hajj market at Damascus. Even in the Sa'ud
country, Doughty observed nomads’ horses shod.
More important for transport purposes is the ass, which is patient
of thirst and need only be watered every second day. The Sulubba
have no other beasts, yet cross with impunity waterless regions
which the Bedouins with their dhulul do not lightly pass. . Asses
are said to stand the sharp stones of harrah desert better than
camels, and for short routes of about forty miles may render useful
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service; a European traveller rode one between Hoftif and ‘Oqair
(see Route No. 11). In towns and villages donkeys are numerous
and are commonly ridden in the large oases ; some kinds, such as the
white breeds of Hasa and Mecca, have a more than local reputation.
It has been stated, on exceptionally good local authority, that the
good Mecca donkey can go from Jiddah to Mecca (50 miles at least)
in from six to seven hours, whereas an envoy from Ruweis, mounted
on a good dheldl, in 1916 took nine hours for practically the same
distance, from Ruweis (4 miles N. of Jiddah) to Mecca. The mule
is less frequently seen than the ass. Mules carried litters on the
pilgrims’ route from Damascus in 1876, and were observed raising
water on the same route, yoked to the dultib or well-machine.

The Camel Trade of Arabia
The camel-breeding tribes in Arabia are as follows :
In the North, the Ruweilah, Fed'an, ‘Amarat, and Siba*. These
tour Anazah tribes are by far the most famous breeders, and their
nerds are larger than those of any other part of the desert. The
Deni bakr and Huweitat rear camels, but in smaller numbers.
ne bnammar of the Jezlrah (Mesopotamia) are poor in oamels.