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218 woven branches, divided the tent into two parts. In the lesser compartment some kids and lambs were guarded, and a group of women hastily retired from the other part, that it might be prepared for us. A little, half-naked, bronzed Bedouin boy swept the floor of earth with the leafy branches of a "box" tree. A weather-beaten old woman, in tattered garments, but with large silver bracelets on her shriveled arms, came forward and spread a rug or carpet for us. It was made of very coarse wool, and looked something like crochet-work, or close knitting, and was evidently of Bedouin manufacture. We were soon seated on it, and the sheikh and a number of men, smoking long pipes, took their seats opposite to us, in a half-circle, on the ground just outside the open front of the tent, thus completely inclosing us. There were between sixty and seventy people altogether in the encampment. They had large flocks of sheep and goats under their care; and, as we anticipated, they were near to a "fountain of sweet water."

The sheikh wished to have a kid killed for us. We declined, as we were in haste; but though we were provided with bread, my brother explained to me that etiquette obliged us to partake of theirs, and he said, "Go and find the women, it will be a good opportunity for you to see the process of Bedouin bread-making." I went to the other end of the encampment—the glow of a red fire between the trees guided me. Two women were skillfully stirring and spreading burning embers on the ground with their hands, as freely as if fire had no power to hurt them. Another was kneading some paste. The rest of the women and girls came crowding round me caressingly and wonderingly. They stroked my face and hair, and especially marveled at my closely-fitting kid gloves, which I put off and on for their amusement. They exclaimed repeatedly, "O, work of God!" One of the elder women said, "Where are you going, O my daughter?" I answered, "O my mother, I am going to ' El Kuds ' The Holy'"—that is, Jerusalem. Then she said, as if by way of ex-