Page 38 - Arabian Studies (V)

28 Arabian Studies V

November 7th. I was joined today by Thowanee who cursed the want of
liberality evinced by the Sheik in not having given him any thing, and swore
‘that their men could neither give nor their women refuse.’ 1 laughed at
him, and asked what grounds he had for expecting a reward from a man he
had never before seen, and to whom he had never rendered the slightest
service. He replied that the mere fact of his being a stranger and a follower
of a Chieftan like Easen Ben Ghumood [sic] was quite sufficient title to
reward, and that a Northern Chieftan would be ashamed to allow a stran­
ger Bedoin an opportunity of scandalizing his name before assembled
tribes. 1 took leave of Thowannee this evening (intending to leave for Ajeer
in the morning, he returning to his tribe) and made him a present of a
Persian Sabre for the amusement he had afforded me.
8th. I left Bahreen for Ajeer this morning, we had scarcely rounded the
North West end of the Island when the wind veered to the Southward, and
we were obliged to take shelter in the port of Agaria [Aquariyyah], a small
village on the South West side of the Island of Bahreen about 12 miles from
Manama.
9th and 10th November. Still detained, the Arabs never thinking of starting
but with a fair wind.
11th. The Wind blowing from the Northward we weighed and stood for
Ajeer which bears South West about 32 miles from Agaria—At four in the
afternoon we anchored in Ajeer Sound.
Ajeer may properly be termed the port of Nedjd, all the merchandize
from the interior is exported from this place. It consists merely of a small
Stone Fort, with a Khan adjoining and is garrisoned by Bedouins of the
tribe of Monaseer, headed by a Wahabee a follower of Ben Afaisar the
Governor of Elriasar;18 on landing I was surrounded by Bedouins, men,
women and children clamorous in their offers of camels. I hired one from a
Bedouin Matron, who with her daughter (a very pretty Bedouin Girl) and
husband immediately set out with me. It being late and not wishing to
travel in the dark, we bivouacked for the night at about a mile distant from
the Fort.
November 12th 1832. We started in the morning [for] Elriasa; the Arab and
his Wife were mounted leaving the aforesaid pretty daughter to travel as
she might on foot, but feelings of gallantry and admiration to the sex
(whether directed to the simple Bedouin maid or the proud British fair one,
i
the Goddess of the Ball) would not allow of this, and I immediately
• s mounted her behind me. This piece of attention gained me the favor of the
Bedouins and it is most probable that had I acted according to their advice,
I should not have been exposed to the difficulties I subsequently was. After
eight hours travelling we stopped for the night at some Wells, tolerable
water is procured in this part of the desert by digging a few feet below the
surface.
The general face of the Country we had passed over was that of an
immense ocean of sand, thrown up into enormous waves by the North
Easterly winds which occasionally blow here with great violence. The
summits of these waves are in most instances covered with the Camel thorn,
and a species of Artemisia; travelling in the pathless desert is rendered