This spirit of generosity is not confined to the higher ranks, but is peculiar to every individual of the nation. The poor Bedouin, as well as the proudest Emir, will distribute with pleasure and satisfaction his little store of bread and dates to all around him. All are invited, ‘vithout respect either to rank or religion ; and to eat with a Bedouin is the firmest pledge of his protection. Their bounty and kindness are extended even to the animals, who grow old in their service ; they are ex empted from every species of labour, and allowed to graze upon the richest pastures. Among the Arabs, an oath is held most sacred ; and he who violates his en gagements is doomed to grow old in ignominy. Their alliances are signed with blood, in order to impress upon them a more sacred character. The rights of friendship are deemed inviolable ; and the respect and affection which subsists between parents and children in this country has been a theme of praise to historians of every age.
In courtesy, and urbanity of manners, the Arabians may vie with the most enlightened and civilized nations in Europe. In Yemen they use many compliments; " people of rank," says Neibuhr, " embrace their equals, and all treat one another with a degree of politeness that surprises strangers." The Salanz Aleikum," peace be with you," is the common salutation in Arabia ; in pronouncing which, they lay the right hand upon the heart. When two Bedouins meet in the desert, they express their kindness and respect by frequently kiss ing and shaking hands, repeating, at every shake, the question, " how art thou ?" Their visits are conducted with that parade and ceremony common to eastern na tions ; and they kiss the hand of a superior in token of respect.
Notwithstanding the amiable dispositions of genero sity and kindness, so striking in the Arab character, we cannot but be shocked and disgusted at their thirst_of revenge, which knows no satiety. Grave and manly in his outward deportment, the Arab piques himself upon the coolness of his temper and the controul of his pas sions; but, when once provoked, he is implacable and unrelenting. An affront, once received, is laid up and cherished in his breast ; and no circumstance nor time can efface it from his mind until he has obtained full reparation. The Arab has no idea of forgiveness ; his whole soul seems absorbed in the injury ; and the most abject submission cannot screen the culprit from his rage. An insulting expression can only be wiped away by the blood of the offender ; and a murder must be ex piated by the slaughter of a family. The most irritable
and implacable are the martial Bedouins, who are " jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel." An indecent action, or a contemptuous word, will raise him to madness ; and such is his vindictive spirit, that he will patiently wait months and years for an opportunity of revenge. Families, and sometimes tribes, are thus involved in endless hostilities, by an inadvertent expres sion, or the carelessness of one of its members; and the individuals of either lead a life of incessant malice and suspicion. No reconciliation can take place until the reproach has been washed out with blood. Every new offence is added to the bloody debt, and half a cen tury will sometimes elapse before the account of ven geance is finally settled. A fine, or compensation for murder, is common to many nations; and blood for blood is the utmost that the law of equity can demand; but the refined honour of the Arab refuses the head of the murderer, and substitutes the chief and most distin guished members of a family, as answerable for the guilt and conduct of those under their inspection and jurisdiction. Upon these he exercises with his own hand the law of retaliation, and the blood of the inno cent must be shed to wash out the offence of the guilty. This savage and inhuman custom, though expressly for bidden in the Koran, prevails over the greatest part of Arabia; and every family, nay, every individual, consi ders himself the lawful judge and avenger of his own wrongs. In the dominions of the Imam of Sana, mur der is punished with death, and the murderer is prose cuted in the same manner as in other countries. Yet, even here, the laws are sometimes unable to controul and restrain the fury and malice of an exasperated sub ject.
Some have attempted to account for this savage and detestable disposition of the Arabs, from their frequently feeding upon camel's flesh ; that creature being observed to be most malicious and tenacious of anger; " qui car nibus camelorum vesci solent," says an Arabian physi cian, "odii terraces sunt. Cujus rei causa manifests est, qnia necesse est mutetur corpus ad qualitaterp ejus mcnti, quo quis continuo nutritur." He afterwards adds, ideoque interdictor est taro Lconum, aliarumque ejus modi ferarum, ne esu carnium earum ejus modi naturarn ipsc homo induat ;" (Pocock Spec. 88, 89 ;) but we think a more probable and certain cause may be found in the nature of their government.