DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12665#0153
PASTORAL BEDOUINS.
131
ehasms or fissures ; and wherever there was any
thing that could afford a partial protection from the
weather on one side, a low, rough, circular wall of
stone was built in front of it, and formed the abode
of a large family. Within the small enclosure in
front, the women were sitting winnowing or grind-
ing grain, or rather pounding and rubbing it be-
tween twa stones, in the same primitive manner
practised of old, in the days of the patriarchs*
We descended and pitched our tent in the middle-
of the valley; and my first business was to make
some hot tea for Paul, roll him up in blankets and
coverlets, and thus repeat the sweating operation
that had done him so much good before. He was
badly hurt, and very much frightened. The boxes
had fallen upon him, and the butt of a heavy gun,
which he held in his left hand, had struck wkh all
the momentum of its fall against his breast. He*
thought his ribs were all broken ; and when I per-
suaded him that they were as good as ever, he was
sure there was some inward bruise, that would be
followed by mortification ; and, until we separated,
especially when we had any hard work before us*
he continued to complain of his hurts by this un-
lucky misadventure.
Having disposed of Paul, I strolled out to exam-
ine more particularly the strange and interesting
scene in the midst of which we were. The habi-
tations in the crevices of the rocks, bad as they
would be considered anywhere else, I found much,
more comfortable than, most of the huts of the
131
ehasms or fissures ; and wherever there was any
thing that could afford a partial protection from the
weather on one side, a low, rough, circular wall of
stone was built in front of it, and formed the abode
of a large family. Within the small enclosure in
front, the women were sitting winnowing or grind-
ing grain, or rather pounding and rubbing it be-
tween twa stones, in the same primitive manner
practised of old, in the days of the patriarchs*
We descended and pitched our tent in the middle-
of the valley; and my first business was to make
some hot tea for Paul, roll him up in blankets and
coverlets, and thus repeat the sweating operation
that had done him so much good before. He was
badly hurt, and very much frightened. The boxes
had fallen upon him, and the butt of a heavy gun,
which he held in his left hand, had struck wkh all
the momentum of its fall against his breast. He*
thought his ribs were all broken ; and when I per-
suaded him that they were as good as ever, he was
sure there was some inward bruise, that would be
followed by mortification ; and, until we separated,
especially when we had any hard work before us*
he continued to complain of his hurts by this un-
lucky misadventure.
Having disposed of Paul, I strolled out to exam-
ine more particularly the strange and interesting
scene in the midst of which we were. The habi-
tations in the crevices of the rocks, bad as they
would be considered anywhere else, I found much,
more comfortable than, most of the huts of the