Page:The Northern Ḥeǧâz (1926).djvu/23



The head chief Eben Ǧâzi is descended from the clan of al-Maṭâlḳa. Until the year 1894 his authority was acknowledged by all the other clans. At that time ʻArʻar eben Ǧâzi, who was the great chief, resisted the advance of the Turkish Government and killed several soldiers. The Turks, thereupon resorting to stratagem, captured him, put him in prison at al-Kerak, and negotiated with the various chiefs who promised the captors support and gifts if they released ʻArʻar. When ʻArʻar was set free at the end of 1896, nobody would obey him. After his death in 1900 there arose dissension among his Ḥwêṭât. Each chief did what he pleased. The one having the greatest authority was Ḥarb abu Tâjeh—chief of the at-Tawâjhe clan—who was joined by several families from the remaining clans who did not wish to pay tribute to the Turkish Government. Ḥarb died in the year 1904 and his aged son Rbejjeʻ became chief, but only in name, the real authority being exercised by Rbejjeʻ’s younger brother ʻAwde, who, when Rbejjeʻ died in 1907, was recognized as chief of all the Tawâjhe and of the various clans encamping with them.

ʻAwde was renowned far and near for his courage, energy, obduracy, and also for his cruelty. In 1902 when he was encamped near al-Moṛejjera he led a raid upon the tribe of Šarârât at Abu ʻAmûd and returned laden with booty. The Šarârât united and surrounded his camp. For seventeen days the women did not leave their tents. The Šarârât were passionately exhorted to persistence by their leader, Daʻsân eben Hemš. The chief ʻAwde prayed: “O Allâh, may Daʻsân fall beneath my hand, that I may be able to drink his blood.” Daʻsân fell, mortally wounded by Ǧwêred, a relative of ʻAwde. The latter flung himself upon his enemy, tore out his beating heart, and gulped his blood. Over three hundred