Page 108 - A Hand book of Arabia Vol 1 (iii) Ch 4,5

POPULATION 149

I . ad keeps his hair straight under a tightly bound turban. He
Ix-a r< Idtle for trade so long as his crops in the maritime range or his
i arcs
, ■ in the Tihainah hold good. The turbulence and raiding pro-
H-ISies of the Zaranik have practically put an end to thecaravan-
i *MlM tI^ade of a large part of the Tihamah plain — notably that of
lx true
licit el-Faqih and Zebid—with Hodeidah, the maritime capital.
The Hashid wa BeJcil, a powerful and warlike confederation of
t ribes inhabit the north-eastern portion of Yemen and the south-
corner of Asir, their territory extending from almost the.

iatluide of San'a to within a short distance of Sa'dah. They are
probably, numerically, the strongest tribe in the district, and are I
said * to be able to muster 50,000 fighting men. They are now
reputed to be mostly of Asir sympathies : in any case the whole
tribeship is unanimous in disliking Turkish rule.
The Khauldn. A strong Zeidi tribe inhabiting the districts east i
and south of San'a. They are a settled and agricultural people,
but have from 7,000 to 8,000 fighting men.
The Beni Malar occupy territory north of the Anis and are
a strong Zeidi tribe. :
i
The Muqatil, between Menakhah and Mefhaq, can muster between
2,400 and 2,700 fighting men. i l
The Quhrah. This numerous tribe inhabits the country between
Wadis Sardud and Siham, from near Hodeidah almost to Bajil. !
L'hey can put from 3,000 to 4,000 fighting men in the field.
The Ahl Shalir form a considerable and peaceful tribe inhabiting 1
much of the Wadi Bana of Southern Yemen.
j
The tiuleil inhabit the extensive coastal district east of the
Kainaran Island and south of Loheia. They are hostile to the
Quhrah. For numbers of fighting men see p. 505.

ihe Wa'zat tribe occupies the district on the borderland of
> emen, north and east of Loheia. They are reported to be able i
lo,|V'Uster from 1,500 to 3,000 fighting men.
L he general racial types, according to zone, are the following : \

I) ii Yihamah. Along this belt the natives are slight in
(ai ud and dark in complexion, and betray a strong negroid taint due

whh the negro slave element. Once this strain was
\vit l • ls“e^> the intermarriage of the two strains has become regular
Aral*11 £erta*n iimits ; quadroon girls are frequently married by
to a ?’ i 110 of Pure ^ra,k stock would be given in marriage
c\HunU- i t0 an.d sti11 less t° a negro. The countrymen are almost
,,f tliM | agr>cultural. The Arab merchant class in the towns
ik'doui t (OI *°l t*lat mattcr iu l,arts Yemen) is chiclly of ■