Page 136 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

VII.] GULF OF ’AKABAH. 117

roof and sides of which were constructed with
cadjans*, and was divided into two equal por­

tions by a screen of cotton cloth, behind which
was the harem, as we were soon made sen­

sible of by the appearance of a pair of black
eyes peeping through some rent or other
aperture. Here sat the Sheikh, reclining
on a camel-saddle, their ordinary cushion,
with about twenty armed Bedowins squatted
around him. He did not rise to receive us as
we entered—a bad omen, as he observed that
ceremony when any of his relatives joined the
party. The most profound silence was ob­

served by all but the Sheikh, who, after the
customary compliments, entered on the sub­
ject of our journey, and swore by his beard
he would fulfil all he had promised on board.
During our conference a meal was prepared,
to which, as his followers sat down, the Sheikh
invited us ; but, pleading our recent repast, we
were released from partaking of no very in­
viting fare. An immense pile of boiled beans,
rice, and flour, mixed together, and deluged
with an abundance of butter, was brought in
on a large round dish. Of this the whole

* The dried branches of the date-palm.