Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/225

 occupants were aware of it, I ordered my companions to urge their camels to kneel down in front of the largest tent, the one which was nearest to us. I greeted its owner, he returned my greeting, and I was able to enter his tent. If he had not returned my greeting, not even his tent would have protected us. Seating myself in the tent, I saw about a meter in front of me a wooden dish filled with water. I could easily have reached it and drunk from it, but I wanted the owner, who was silently sitting beside me, to give me a fresh proof that he was well-disposed toward me. I therefore asked: “Wilt thou not give water to the thirsty?” The owner handed me the dish without saying a word, and I drank from it. He still held his peace, and the assembled men watched us in an inquisitive and hostile manner. Wishing to win them over, I again asked: “Hast thou no pots for boiling coffee?” “By Allâh, I have,” said the owner joyfully, and the others regarded us more pleasantly. They brought the pots, kindled a small fire, Šerîf gave them coffee beans, and a kinsman of the owner set about preparing the coffee. In the meanwhile I questioned the owner about various matters, and he replied briefly. A young man then entered the tent, looked at the gendarme Ḫalîl, and exclaimed: “This is that dog of a Government servant who knocked me about at al-Muʻaẓẓam.” Ḫalîl vowed that it was not true and that neither by day or night had he seen the station of al-Muʻaẓẓam, and he asked his accuser to produce eyewitnesses. But those present were more inclined to believe the young man, and the danger which threatened us was increasing. The owner then poured about twenty drops of freshly boiled coffee for me into his coffee cup, and his kinsman poured out some for the rest. The quarrel between the young man and Ḫalîl ceased for a while. Having drunk the coffee, I pointed to my tongue, saying: “Behold, thy salt is resting on my tongue”; that is to say: “I have become thy guest and ask thee to treat me as is demanded by the rights of hospitality.” He asked me what I wanted of him. I demanded that he should accompany me to al-Ḥeǧr, as the Bedouins call Medâjen Ṣâleḥ.

“The journey to al-Ḥeǧr takes more than three days and a third. It leads through territory belonging to clans with whom we are at war, and I cannot accompany thee as far as al-Ḥeǧr,” he said.

“Then accompany me to the nearest clan, and Allâh will provide for the rest,” I replied.