'Southern Arabia, by Theodore Bent, F.R.G.S., F.S.A., Author of 'The Ruined Cities of Mashonaland' 'The Sacred City of the Ethiopians' 'The Cyclades, Or Life Among the Insular Greeks' etc. and Mrs Theodore Bent' [‎118] (161/552)

118
THE HADHRAMOUT
coast for us, as well as a large inscribed stone that I now
have in my house.
Innumerable wells are dotted over this cultivated area,
the water from which is distributed over the fields before
sunrise and after sunset. The delicious creaking noise made
by heaving up the buckets greeted us every morning when
we woke, delicious because it betokened plenty of water : and
these early morning views were truly exquisite. A bright
crimson tinge would gradually creep over the encircling
mountains, making the parts in shade of a rich purple hue,
against which the feathery palm-trees and whitewashed
castles stood out in strong contrast. All the animals
belonging to the sultan are stabled within the encircling
wall, and immediately beneath the palace windows ; the
horses' stable is in the open courtyard, where they are fed
with rich lucerne and dates when we should give corn.
Here also reside the cows and bullocks, which are fed
every evening by women, who tie together bunches of
dried grass and make it appetising by mixing therewith
a few blades of fresh lucerne; the sheep and the goats are
penned on another side, whilst the cocks and hens live in
and around the main drain. All is truly patriarchal in
character.
The sultan only possesses four horses, and one of these,
a large white mare, strangely enough came from the Cape
of Good Hope, vid Durban and Bombay. The sultan
of Makalla had three. The 1 Arab courser ' lives farther
north.
As for the soldiers, they sent, as if it were a matter of
course, for some money to buy tobacco and were given two
or three dollars each, and we gladly parted from them friends.
The sultan of Makalla had paid them for a fortnight's food,
and had written to Sultan Salah to pay what was owing.
M y 8 room w as dismissed also without bakshish : he was only