Part 22

Among the Arabs, everything concurs to give power to the development of the natural man. Nervous, hardy, sober, though occasionally displaying a vigorous appetite, their eyesight is keen and piercing. They boast that they can distinguish a man from a woman when two to three leagues distant, and a flock of camels from a flock of sheep at double that distance. Nor is this mere bragging. The extent and clearness of their vision arise, as in the case of our sailors, from the incessant habit of looking far ahead over an immense and objectless space. And, accustomed as they are to scenes and objects always the same and which encircle them within narrow limits, it would be strange if they did not recognize them under almost any circumstances. Nevertheless, diseases of the eye are very common. The refraction of the sun's rays, the dust and perspiration cause numerous misadventures, such as ophthalmia and leucoma, and blind and one-eyed men are numerous in many parts of the desert—for instance, among the Beni-Mzab, at El Ghrassoul, Ouargla, and Gourara.

The dweller in the desert, in infancy and youth, has beautiful white, even teeth; but the use of dates as his habitual and almost exclusive diet spoils them as he advances in years. When a tooth is entirely decayed, he is compelled to have recourse to the armourer or farrier, who is privileged to torture his patient, to break his jaw with his pincers, and tear away the gums together with the tooth that was troubling him.

The genuine chief, the real great lord, rarely leaves the saddle, and very seldom goes on foot, though he wears both boots and shoes. The common Arab, however, is an indefatigable walker, and in the course of a day will get over an incredible distance. His ordinary pace is what the French call the _pas gymnastique_ [which is quicker than the English "double"], and what he himself calls a dog-trot. On flat ground, he generally takes off his shoes, if he happens to have any, partly that he may walk faster and more comfortably, and partly that he may not wear them out. Consequently, his foot is like that of antique statues, broad and flat, and with the toes wide apart. He is never troubled with corns, and more than once Christians, who have insinuated themselves into caravans, have been detected by this infallible sign and expelled. The sole of the foot acquires such hardness, that neither sand nor stones affect it, and a thorn sometimes penetrates to the depth of several lines without being felt. In the desert, properly so called, however, the sand during the great heat of summer is so burning hot that it is impossible to walk upon it with naked feet. Even the horses are obliged to be shod, or their feet would become painful and diseased. The dread of being bitten by the _lefâ_, a viper whose venom is fatal, also compels the Arabs themselves to wear buskins rising above the ankle.

The most common disease of the foot is the _cheggag_, or chaps, which are healed by having grease rubbed in, and by being afterwards cauterised with a hot iron. Sometimes these chaps are so long and deep that they are obliged to be sewed up. The thread used for the purpose is made of camel's sinews dried in the sun, and split into parts as fine as silk; spun camel's hair is, likewise, employed. All the inhabitants of the desert make use of this thread to mend their saddles, and bridles, and wooden platters. Every one carries about with him a housewife, a knife, and a needle.

Not a few turn their powers of pedestrianism to a good account, and make it their profession. Hence come the runners and messengers, who gird themselves tightly with a belt. These who are called _rekass_ undertake affairs of great urgency. They will do in four days what the ordinary runners take ten to accomplish. They scarcely ever stop, but if they find it necessary to rest they count sixty inhalations of the breath and start again immediately. A _rekass_ who receives four francs for going sixty leagues thinks himself well paid. This modest reward, however, is the more highly appreciated because it is paid in actual money. Specie is rare, and is the smallest portion of an Arab's fortune. The restricted circulation, and the facility of providing for the principal necessities of life without buying or selling, by simply having occasional recourse to barter are far from lowering the value of coined money.

In the desert a special messenger travels night and day, and sleeps only two hours in the twenty-four. When he lies down he fastens to his foot a piece of cord of a certain length, to which he sets fire; and, just as it is nearly burned out, the heat awakens him. In 1846, an Arab, named El-Thouamy, a native of Leghrouât, was sent by the Kalifa Sid-Hamed-ben-Salem to Berryân, a town situated in the country of the Beni-Mzab. Starting at five in the morning from Kuesyr-el-Heyrân, he reached his destination about seven in the evening of the same day. In fourteen hours he had covered 168 kilomètres, travelling at the rate of twelve kilomètres an hour. This same Thouamy set out one day from Negoussa to go to Berryân, a distance of 180 kilomètres, charged with an important message, and accomplished the journey in sixteen hours. During both of these courses this man eat only a few dates and drank about two _litres_ of water.

In 1850, El-Ghiry, of the tribe of the Mokhalif, was hunting the ostrich, and, while wholly absorbed in chasing a _delim_, his horse broke down just as his last drop of water was exhausted. All trace of his companions was lost. For thrice twenty-four hours he wandered about at random, in the desert, without food or water. During the day he slept under a _bethoum_, and walked all night. His family had given him up entirely, when at length they saw him approaching. At first they could hardly recognize him, so utterly exhausted was he, so blackened by the sun, and reduced to such a skeleton. He afterwards related that he believed he owed his life to his dreams, in which he beheld his mother tending him, and giving him something to eat and drink. These visions, he said, had comforted and sustained him in his sore distress.

Let us now pass on from these examples of vigour and abstinence, which might be multiplied to infinity, and give a tolerably correct estimate of the goods and chattels of a Saharene nomad. This inventory will afford a far better idea of life in the desert than can be obtained from a long description. I take a man of influential family, and assume that his household is constituted after the following fashion. Himself, four wives, four sons, the wives of two of his sons, each of whom has a child, four negroes, four negresses, two white men servants, two white women servants: in all, twenty-five souls. He may also, of course, have daughters, but they are sure to be married, and are no further trouble to him. Such a household as this will possess:

A spacious tent in thoroughly good condition, to make which will require sixteen pieces of woollen cloth, forty cubits long by two in width, each worth from 7 to 8 _douros_, making a total of about 112 _douros_.

Two Arab beds, or rather carpets of shaggy wool, thirty cubits in length by five broad; dyed with madder, 20 _douros_ each; if dyed with kermes, 25 _douros_ 50

A carpet, twelve cubits long by four wide, hung up as a curtain to separate the men's apartment from that of the women. It is dyed with kermes and costs 16

Six cushions, to contain wearing apparel and used as pillows: the price of each is 2 _douros_ 12

Six cushions of tanned antelope's skin, also used to contain dresses and spun wool, and to lean against in the tent 6

Six pieces of woollen stuff, made into a sort of palanquin carried on camels' backs, and in which the women travel 12

Five red _haïks_ to cover the palanquins 50

Twenty woollen sacks for the carriage of corn 40

Six _hamal_, or loads of wheat 48

Twelve loads of barley 60

Ten woollen sacks in which are kept jewels, wearing apparel, cotton-stuffs, gunpowder, _filali_,[91] money, etc., at 2 _douros_ each 20

Fifteen goat-skin bags to hold water 25

Twelve sheep- or goat-skin bags to contain butter, valued each at 4 _douros_ 48

Four sheep- or goat-skin bags to hold honey, which is an expensive article, as it comes from the Tell; at 8 _douros_ each 32

Eight _hamal_ of dates. These _hamal_ are sacks lined with wool 64

Six _tarahh_, each _tarahh_ comprising six skins of morocco leather; in all, thirty six skins, at one _douro_ a piece 36

Gunpowder 30

Lead 5

Flints 4 _douros_.

Ten _mektaa_, or pieces of cotton-stuffs 20

Two _meradjen_, or vases of copper lined with tin, with handles, to drink out of 2

Two _tassa_, or vases, also for drinking purposes 2

Two _guessaa_, or large wooden bowls for making or eating kouskoussou 4

Six _bakia_, or drinking vessels of wood 2

A copper pot for cooking the food 2

Three _metreud_, or wooden platters for strangers to eat from 3

Two _fass_, or mattocks, for preparing the site of the tent, fixing it, etc., and for clearing wood 2

A _kadouma_, or small hatchet for shaping wood 1

Ten _meudjesa_, a kind of sickle for sheep-shearing 1

Two _rekiza_, or uprights of the tent 2

A _âeushut-el-zemel_, or tent with carpets, cushions, etc., for travelling, or for receiving strangers 30

Total 741 _douros_.

The wearing apparel of five men will consist of:

Eleven white burnouses, three for the father, and two for each of his sons: a burnous costs 4 _douros_ 44 _douros_.

Five _haïks_, at 4 _douros_ each 20

Five _habaya_, or woollen shirts 10

Five _mahazema_, or belts of morocco leather embroidered in silk 10

Five pair of _belghra_, or morocco shoes 2

Five _shashia_, or morocco _fessy_ 2

Five _kate_, or complete suits, for grand occasions, consisting of an _oughrlila_ or outer garment, a _cedria_ or waistcoat, a _seroual_ or pair of trousers; a _haïk_ of silk, a silken cord replacing the camel's rope; and a cloth burnous: each suit at 60 _douros_ will make 300

Total 388 _douros_.

The wearing apparel of six women will consist of:

Six women's _haïks_, dyed with kermes 60 _douros_.

Six pair of morocco leather boots, embroidered 6

Six woollen girdles 12

Six white _haïks_ worn over the head 6

Six _benica_, or silken hoods 6 _douros_.

Six _aâsaba_, or thread cord by which the women fasten the _haouly_, or white _haïk_, over their heads 2

Six pair of _kholkhale_, or silver anklets, 20 _douros_ the pair 120

Six pair of _souar_, or bracelets, 7 _douros_ the pair 42

Twelve _bezima_, or silver buckles, used by women to fasten the _haïk_, 6 _douros_ the pair 36

Six _bezimat el gueursi_, or throat buckles, used to fasten the _haouly_ under the chin after it has encircled the head 12

Twelve _ounaiss_, or silver ear-rings set in coral. Every woman wears two pair 24

Six _mekhranga_, or necklaces of coral and pieces of money 48

Six necklaces of cloves interspersed with coral 5

Six _zenzela_, or silver chains with a small circular plate in the middle, called "the scorpion:" the chain stretches from ear to ear 18

Six _kuerrabar_, or silver boxes which the women hang from their necks, and in which they put musk and benjamin 18

Eighteen _khatem_, or silver rings 6

Six _melyaca_, or bracelets of djamous horn 6

Women in the desert do not wear any ornaments of gold; the whole of their jewelry is in silver.

Total 815 _douros_.

The arms for seven men are:

Five guns for the masters, procured from Algiers, and mounted in silver 100 _douros_.

Two guns for the servants 20

Five sabres, two of them mounted in silver 40

Five pistols, two of them mounted in silver 35

Four pistols for the negroes 1

Four sabres for the negroes 12

Total 219 _douros_.

Harness and horsemen's equipment consist of:

One saddle for the master 100 _douros_.

Four ordinary saddles 160

Two common saddles for the servants 20

One master's _djebira_ of tiger-skin 17

Four ordinary _djebira_ 28

One pair of master's _temag_, or boots of morocco leather 12

Four pair of ordinary _temag_ 24 _douros_.

One pair of master's spurs, mounted in silver and ornamented with coral 6

Four pair of ordinary _shabirs_, or spurs 4

Five _medol_, or straw hats adorned with ostrich feathers 5

Total 376 _douros_.

Horses, cattle, negroes, etc., consist of:

A stallion for the chief of the tent 100 _douros_.

Four blood mares for his sons 320

Two servants' mares 60

Six asses 18

Two _slougui_, or greyhounds [not purchasable] »

Four negroes 240

Four negresses 200

Twenty _ghelem_ each _ghelem_ a flock of 400 sheep 8,000

Four _ibeul_, or droves of 100 camels each: of these 400 animals, 130 are she-camels which command a higher price than the males, but I value them all round at 30 _douros_ a head 12,000

Ten he- or she-goats, the only use of which is to make the sheep keep moving on a march 50

Two tame gazelles, a young antelope, and an ostrich [these are never for sale] »

Total 20,988 _douros_.

The chief of a tent of this importance ought besides to possess, in depôt, in three or four _kuesours_, or small towns:

Twelve hundred _zedja_, or fleeces, worth each half a _boudjou_ 200 _douros_.

Thirty white burnouses, at 3 _douros_ each 90

Thirty _haïks_ at 2 _douros_ 60

Forty _habaya_, or woollen shirts at 2 _douros_ 80

Forty loads of dates at 7 _douros_ 280

Thirty camel loads of wheat 240

Thirty loads of barley 150

Four _khrabya_, or enormous earthen vessels filled with butter

Total 1,100 _douros_.

I estimate at 600 _douros_ the amount of what he may have lent or sold, to the people of the _kuesours_ with whom he has business transactions 600 _douros_.

In his tent he has 600

Buried in a hose belonging to him in one of the _kuesours_[92] 1,000

Total 2,200 _douros_.

He has likewise a house in a kuesour in the charge of a _khremass_, containing his most valuable property 60 _douros_.

RECAPITULATION.

Tent and furniture, etc 741 _douros_.

Wearing apparel of both sexes 815

Arms 219

Harness and Accoutrements 376

Horses, cattle, etc. 20,988

Deposits 1,100

Loans, etc. 2,200

House 60

Total 26,499 _douros_.[93]

An Arab who possesses such a fortune does no work. He attends the meetings and assemblies of the _djemâa_, hunts, rides about, looks at his flocks, and prays. His only occupations are political, warlike, and religious. A poor Arab equally disdains manual labour. He is not forced to it, for there is no other kind of cultivation than that of date-trees, which is left to the inhabitants of the _kuesours_. Negroes are numerous and cost very little, and, with the assistance of a few white servants, suffice for the services which the free men refuse to perform for themselves. Some of the latter, however, mend their sacks and harness, but they form the exception. There are likewise farriers, but these, in fact, are artists—the privileges that are accorded to them, of which I have already had occasion to speak, constituting them a sort of special corporation. The armourers are, in truth, mere workmen who repair, but cannot manufacture, arms. The Arabs of the desert are for the most part worse armed than those of the Tell, though their chiefs yield to none in pomp and luxury. This is easily accounted for. As they obtain their arms from Tunis by way of Tougourt, or from Morocco through the Gourara country, the great distance to be traversed prevents them from getting their arms repaired as soon as they need repairs, and the unskilfulness of those who undertake this business will not permit them to do their work very efficiently. Many of the Saharenes are still armed with lances, which they seldom use except when pursuing runaways. Their spears consist of a shaft of wood six feet long, with a flat double-edged head of iron, and are usually carried in a bandolier.

The Arab of the Sahara is very proud of his mode of life, which is not only exempt from the monotonous toil to which the inhabitant of the Tell is subject, but is full of action and excitement, of variety and incident. If beards grow white at an early age in the desert, it is not only because of heat, fatigue, journeys, and combats, but much more from care, anxiety, and grief. He alone does not turn gray who "has a large heart, is resigned, and can say: It is the will of Allah!" This pride in their country and in their peculiar mode of existence amounts to positive contempt for the Tell and its inhabitants. What the dweller in the desert chiefly plumes himself upon is his independence; for in his country the lands are wide and there is no Sultan. The chief of the tribe administers and renders justice, a task of no great difficulty where every delinquency has been provided for and its appropriate penalty fixed beforehand. Whoever steals a sheep, pays a fine of ten boudjous. Whoever enters a tent to see his neighbour's wife, forfeits ten ewes. Whoever takes life, must lose his own; or, if he makes his escape, all that belongs to him is confiscated, save only his tent, which is given up to his wife and children. The fines are set apart by the _djemâa_ for defraying the expenses of travellers and marabouts, and of presents to strangers. Thefts within the tribe are severely punished. If committed on another tribe, they are looked over, and, if a hostile tribe be the sufferers, are even encouraged.

The women attend to the cooking, and weave various kinds of carpets, sacks, stuff for tents, horse-cloths, camel-packs, and nose-bags, while the negresses fetch wood and water. Burnouses, _haïks_, and _kabaya_ are made in the _kuesours_. If rich, an Arab is always generous; and rich or poor, he is sure to be hospitable and charitable. He seldom lends his horse, but would regard it as an insult if the animal were sent back to him. For every present he receives he makes a return of greater value. Some men are quoted as never having refused anything. It is a common saying: "He who applies to a noble never comes back empty-handed." It is needless to speak of alms. Every one knows that next to a holy war, and on the same line with going on a pilgrimage, alms-giving is the act of all others the most pleasing to Allah. If an Arab is sitting down to a meal, and a mendicant, who happens to be passing, exclaims: _Mtâ rebi ia el moumenin_—"of what belongs to Allah, O Believer!"— he shares his repast with him if there be enough for two, or else abandons it to him entirely.