When we consider the poverty and necessities of the Bedouins, and their wandering manner of life, we shall not be much surprised at their being habitual plunderers, and formidable enemies to all who have occasion to traverse the desert. But they never mur der those whom they rob, unless travellers, in their de fence, should chance to kill a Bedouin ; and then they ,are eager enough to revenge his death, and will not be :satisfied blood for blood. On many occasions, the caravans which pass at stated intervals through the territory of a scheik, pay a stipulated sum as a "ransom, or safeguard ; and an agreement of this kind is always religiously kept by the Arabs. The differ ent tribes of Bedouins have frequent hostilities with each other ; but their contests are seldom protracted or bloody. When the cause of offence is made known to a tribe, they immediately mount their horses, and seek the enemy ; when they meet, they enter into'a parley, and the dispute is frequently compromised ;if not, they attack either in small bodies, or man to man. They encounter each other at full speed with fixed lances, which they sometimes dart, notwithstand ing their length, at the flying enemy. The victory is generally decided at the firSt shock, and the quished fly off at full gallop, over the naked plains of the desert. The tribe which has been defeated strikes his tents, removes by forced marches to a distance, and seeks an asylum among its allies. Dissensions, however, arc sometimes perpetuated by the slaughter that is made on theSe occasions ; It being an esta blished principle among the Bedouins, that the blood Of every man who is slain Must he avenged by that of his murderer. This vengeance is called tar, or reta liation ; and the right it devolves on the nearest of kin to the deceased. If any one neglects to seek his retaliation, he is for ever disgraced ; he therefore watches every opportunity of revenge ; and if his enemy perishes in any other way, he seeks sa tisfaction by inflicting vengeance on the nearest rela tion. These animosities are transmitted from father to children, and never cease but by the extinction of one of the families, unless they agree to sacrifice the criminal, or purchase the blood, at a stated price, in money or flocks.
The authority of the scheik, or chieftain of a tribe, is undefined, and therefore, in somd measure, arbitrary; the people, however, are consulted in all affairs of moment, and every thins is decided upon by the voice of the majority. The dignity of scheik is hereditary, but not confined to the order of primogeniture ; the petty scheiks, who form the hereditary nobility, chose the grand scheik .out of the reigning family, without considering his immediate relationship tO his prede cessors. Little or no revenue' is paid to the grand Scheik ; in fact, his dignity subjects him to a very great expense ; defrays the charges who arrive at or leave the camp. Adjoining to his tent is a large pavilion For the reception of all strangers and passengers ; and in which are held the assemblies of the principal men to 'determine upon all important' af fairs. Here he entertains his guests with coffee, bread laked on the ashes, rice, and sometimes roasted kid or camel; the females of his family performing with their own hands the office of preparing the repast. On his generosity and hospitality, depend, in a great measure, his credit and his power ; for hospitality is a virtue hi the highest degree prized by the necessitous Bedouin. So rapacious without his camp, he no sooner arrives there, than he becomes liberal and generous. The little he is ever ready to'divide. When he takes
his repasts, he seats himself at the door of his tent, in order to invite passengers ; a generosity which he does not consider as a merit, but merely as a duty ; and he, therefore, readily takes the same liberty with others. The rights of hospitality with the Bedouin, include also the rights of asylum, and of friendship. If the Bedouin has consented to eat bread and salt 'with his guest, nothing in the world can induce him to betray him. Nay, should a stranger, or even an enemy, but touch the tent of a Bedouin, from that in stant his person becomes inviolable. It would be reckon ed a disgraceful meanness, an indelible shame, to satis fyeven a just vengeance at the expense of hospitality.
In this sacred regard to the 'rights of hospitality, and in various other particulars, the character of the Bedouin nearly resembles that of the savages of North America. The Bedouin, however, has no thing of the ferocity of the native American ; for though frequently experiencing the extremity of hunger, the practice of devouring human flesh is ut terly repugnant to his nature ; and he neither tor tures, nor puts to death the captives that fall into his power. The occupations of the Bedouin, who r§ by necessity a shepherd, as he dwells in regions where there is no employment for the hunter or fisherman, tend to foster in him this superior degree of humani ty ; while' those of the American, who busies himself entirely in the pursuit and destruction of game, en courage rather an unfeeling and sanguinary disposi tion of mind.
In many particulars there is a singular resemblance between the character and manners of the Bedouins, and those of the Scottish Highlanders, at' the period when the feudal authority of their chieftains existed in full vigour ; and the clans chiefly occupied themselves in a predatory warfare upon one another, or upon the more peaceful inhabitants of the low country. We happen to have access to'some interesting reports re ' specting the state of the Highlands, made in the 'years 1725, and 1727, by the celebrated Gene ral Wade, which we believe have never yet b$en pub lished, although they contain much curious observa tion. It will, doubtless, gratify our readers to be fur - nished with extract from these reports, by which they may estimate the justness of the parallel which we have drawn between the character of the wild Highlander and that of the wild Arab.
" The Highlanders," says General Wade, " are divided into tribes or clans, under lairds or chieftains, (as they arc called in the laws of Scotland ;) each tribe or clan is subdivided into little branches sprung from the main stock, who have also chieftains over them ; and from these 'arc still smaller branches of fifty or sixty men, who deduce their original from them, and on whom they rely as their protectors and defenders. The arms they make use of in war are, a musket, a broad and target, a pistol, and a 'dud: or dagger hanging by their side, with a powder horn, and pouch for their -ammunition. They form themselves into bodies of unequal numbers, according to the strengtlr of their clan or tribe, which is com manded by their respective superior or• chieftain.. When in sight of the enemy, they endeavour to pos sess themselves of the highest ground, believing they on them with greater force. They 'general ly give their fire at a distance, then lay down their arms on the gr.:and, and make a vigorous attack with their broad swords; hut, if repulsed, seldom or never rally again. They dread engaging with the cavalry, and seldom venture to descend from the mountains, when apprehensive of being charged by them.