Seeing In The Evening Some Arabs Stealing
Into The Court-Yard Of The Sheikh's House, I Enquired Who They Were, And
Was Told That They Were Serdie, Come In Search Of Information, Whether
Any More Troops Were Likely To Be Sent Against Them From Damascus.
It is
for this kind of treachery that the Fellahs in the Haouran hate the
Druses.
[P.306] The authority both of the Druse and Turkish village Sheikh is
very limited, in consequence of the facility with which the Fellahs can
transport themselves and families to another village. I was present
during a dispute between a Christian Fellah and a Druse chief, who
wished to make the former pay for the ensuing year at the rate of the
same number of Fedhans that he had paid for the preceding year, though
he had now one pair of oxen less. After much wrangling, and high words
on both sides, the Christian said, "Very well, I shall not sow a single
grain, but retire to another village;" and by the next morning he had
made preparation for his departure; when the Sheikh having called upon
him, the affair was amicably settled, and a large dish of rice was
dressed in token of reconciliation. When disputes happen between Druses,
they are generally settled by the interference of mutual friends, or by
the Sheikhs or their respective families, or by the great chiefs; or
failing these, the two families of the two parties come to blows rather
than bring their differences before the court of justice at Damascus.
Among the Turks litigations are, in the last extremity, decided by the
Kadhi of Damascus, or by the Pasha in person.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 388 of 870
Words from 105052 to 105331
of 236498
