This Severe Weather Is Doubly Felt By The Inhabitants, As
Their Dress Is Little Fitted To Protect Them From It.
During my stay in
Gebalene, we had every morning a fog which did not disperse till mid-
day.
I could perceive the vapours collecting in the Ghor below, which,
after sun-set, was completely enveloped in them. During the night they
ascend the sides of the mountains, and in general are not entirely
dissipated until near mid-day. From Khanzyre we had the Ghor all the way
on our right, about eight or ten hours distant; but, in a straight line,
not more than six hours.
August 8th.—At one hour and a quarter from Ayme, route S. b. W. we
reached Tafyle (Arabic), built on the declivity of a mountain, at the
foot of which is Wady Tafyle. This name bears some resemblance to that
of Phanon or Phynon, which, according
TAFYLE
[p.403] to Eusebius, was situated between Petra and Zoara.[Euseb. de
nom. S.S.] Tafyle contains about six hundred houses; its Sheikh is the
nominal chief of Djebal, but in reality the Arabs Howeytat govern the
whole district, and their Sheikh has lately constructed a small castle
at Tafyle at his own expense. Numerous springs and rivulets (ninety-nine
according to the Arabs), the waters of which unite below and flow into
the Ghor, render the vicinity of this town very agreeable. It is
surrounded by large plantations of fruit trees: apples, apricots, figs,
pomegranates, and olive and peach trees of a large species are
cultivated in great numbers. The fruit is chiefly consumed by the
inhabitants and their guests, or exchanged with the Bedouin women for
butter; the figs are dried and pressed together in large lumps, and are
thus exported to Ghaza, two long days journey from hence.
The inhabitants of Djebal are not so independent as the Kerekein,
because they have not been able to inspire the neighbouring Bedouins
with a dread of their name. They pay a regular tribute to the Beni
Hadjaya, to the Szaleyt, but chiefly to the Howeytat, who often exact
also extraordinary donations. Wars frequently happen between the people
of Djebal and of Kerek, principally on account of persons who having
committed some offence, fly from one town to seek an asylum in the
other. At the time of my visit a coolness had existed between the two
districts for several months, on account of a man of Tafyle, who having
eloped with the wife of another, had taken refuge at Kerek; and one of
the principal reasons which had induced our Sheikh to undertake this
journey, was the hope of being able to bring the affair to an amicable
termination. Hence we were obliged to remain three days at Tafyle,
tumultuous assemblies were held daily, upon the subject, and the meanest
Arab might give his opinion, though in direct
[p.404] opposition to that of his Sheikh. The father of the young man
who had eloped had come with us from Kerek, for the whole family had
been obliged to fly, the Bedouin laws entitling an injured husband to
kill any of the offender’s relations, in retaliation for the loss of his
wife.
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