'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎110] (219/496)

110
dollars, whereas the various other descriptions never exceed five. There
is not a single respectable house to be seen : the only thing like a building
is a large fort with five towers, standing in the principal plantation, and
inside of which is the market. The inhabitants are of the tribe of El
Haiyarien, but have far more of the townspeople in their appearance
than that of the Bedouin. There are several Sheiks, but none possessing any
particular authority. This being the month of the pilgrimage, everything
is gaiety, the principal amusements being horse and camel races; and the
whole population, dressed in their best, are strolling about from morning
till eve. The women, who do not cover their faces, and are not at all good
looking, generally wear a profusion of silver ornaments,—the ears in par
ticular, which are perforated in numerous places, being completely studded
with large rings : the weight is supported by a cord passed through the
whole and tied over the head. A large ring round the neck, with dollars
pendant, is universally worn. All eyes were of course directed on me,
but more especially on the part of the ladies, who collected round me in
crowds, and I was not a little surprised at their strain of conversation.
The most indecent questions were put to me, and the whiteness of my
skin greatly astonished them,—one woman exposing my breast, to the ad
miration of her surrounding friends, comparing her own with it: the colour
of my hair, red, was also a matter of great curiosity, and when I asserted
it to be the natural colour, the exclamations of surprise by the fair sex
were unbounded.
8. On the second day of my stay here, observed a large cavalcade
entering the open space in front of the fort, where the races were going
on, and immediately recognised one of the party to be “ Said bin Ab-
dalla, cousin to the Sheik of Soor, who I had met at that place a short
time previous. I then learnt that this was the escort of the Sheik of the
A1 ^ ahabies, (Khalifeen bin Ali,) who was en route to his own coun
try from Soor, where he had been on a visit to the Sheik Mahomed.
His arrival was extremely opportune, as I was anxious to pay him a visit
(my shipmates having met him at Jahlan, and been much pressed to
accompany him home, which circumstances prevented), while my guides
'were as desirous to avoid it, representing that part of the country to he
extremely dangerous for strangers. Meeting the Sheik himself, therefore*
was ^ry fortunate, the matter being settled by my joining his party > a11
accordingly at 4-30 p. m. that day, riding by the side of the Sheik at the
head of some forty of his followers, set out from Bedeyer and travelled
till about 8 p. m., when we encamped in a small valley thickly covere
wit the gharf tree, for the night. A large fire was soon enlivening