The Richer
Classes Of The Hadjys Put A Drop Of Balesan Into The First Cup Of Coffee
They Drink In The Morning, From A Notion That It Acts As A Tonic.
The
seeds of the tree from which it is obtained, are employed in the Hedjaz
to procure abortion.
I must notice here, as a peculiarity in the customs of the Beni Salem
tribe, that, in case of the Dye, or the fine for a man slain, (amounting
here to eight hundred dollars,) being accepted by the deceased's family,
the sum is made up by the murderer and his family, and by his relations;
the former paying one-third, and the kindred two-thirds; a practice
which, as far as my knowledge extends, does not prevail in any other
part of the Desert.
Our Bedouin guides had here a long quarrel with the Malays. The guides
had bargained in the market for two camels, to replace two that were
unfit to continue the journey; but not having money enough to
[p.311] pay for them, they required the assistance of the Malays, and
begged them to lend ten dollars, to be repaid at Medina. The Malays
refused, and being hardly pressed, endeavoured to engage my
interposition in their behalf; but the Bedouins forced the money from
them by the same means which I had employed on a former occasion: the
purse of a Malay, which had been concealed in a bag of rice, now came to
light; it probably contained three hundred dollars. The owner was so
much frightened by this discovery, and the apprehension that the Arabs
would murder him on the road for the sake of his money, that by way of
punishment for his avarice, they contrived to keep him in a constant
state of alarm till we arrived at Medina.
January 24th. We left the Souk-Es'-Szafra [During the night, a Kurd
courier, mounted upon a dromedary, escorted by several Bedouins, passed
through Szafra; he came from the head-quarters of Mohammed Aly, and was
the bearer of the intelligence of the capture of Tarabe to Tousoun
Pasha, at Medina] we passed the Omra thus far the road is paved in
several parts with large stones, particularly on the ascents. We passed
through valleys of firm sand, between irregular chains of low hills,
where some shrubs and stunted acacia-trees grow. The road, with few
exceptions, was perfectly level.] at 3 P.M., and rode along the valley,
which widens a little beyond the market-place. The brilliant verdure of
the date-trees and plantations form a singular contrast with the barren
mountains on each side. Our direction was N. 10 E. I found the rock here
composed throughout of red Thon stone, with transverse strata of the
same substance, but of a green colour; beyond Djedeyde, a little higher
up, I found, in my return from Medina, feldspar rocks. At one hour from
the Souk, we passed a similar village in the valley, called El Kharma,
which is comprised within the Wady Szafra. At the end of two hours, we
came to a public fountain in ruins, on the road, near a well half choked
up. The valley here divides; one branch turns towards the N.W.; the
other, which we followed, N.N.E. Two hours and a half, we passed a
hamlet called Dar el Hamra, with gardens of date-trees, and plantations,
inhabited by the tribe of Howaseb, another branch of Harb. Several small
watch-towers had been built here on the summits of the neighbouring
mountains, on both sides of the valleys, by Othman el Medhayfe, to
secure this passage. Plenty of bananas were offered us for sale, as we
passed this place. At the end of two hours and three quarters, the road
begins to ascend, and the soil of the valley, which thus far from Szafra
is gravel intermixed with sand, now becomes stony.
[p.312] In four hours and a quarter we passed the village called Mokad,
which also produces dates.
We stopped here for a quarter of an hour; where we were surrounded by
many of the inhabitants; and on remounting my camel, I found that
several trifling articles had been pilfered from my baggage. This defile
is particularly dreaded by the Hadj caravans; and stories are related of
daring robberies committed by the Arabs which appear almost incredible.
They dress sometimes like Turkish soldiers, and introduce themselves
into the caravan while on their march during the night; and in this
manner they carried off, the year before, one of the finest led horses
of the Pasha of Damascus, the chief of the Syrian caravan. They jump
from behind upon the camel of the sleeping hadjy, stop his mouth with
their abbas, and throw down to their companions whatever valuables they
find upon him. If discovered, they draw their daggers and cut their way
through; for, if taken, they can expect no mercy. The usual mode of
punishment on such occasions, is to impale them at the moment the
caravan starts from the next station, leaving them to perish on the
stake, or be devoured by wild beasts. The horrors of such a punishment,
however, do not deter others from committing the same crimes; and
individuals among the Bedouins pride themselves in being reckoned expert
Hadj-robbers, because great courage and dexterity are necessary to such
a character. From hence our road lay N. 20 E. A barren valley about
three hundred yards across begins here, which, at the end of six hours
and a half, conducted us with many windings to Djedeyde, situated in a
spot where the road becomes straight and has a steep ascent. I saw a
great many date-trees on both sides of the valley, which takes the
general name of Djedeyde, and is divided into several villages. Near the
southern entrance is the market-place, or Es'-Souk Djedeyde, which
appeared to be of greater extent than that of Szafra; but it is now
almost in ruins.
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