Identifier: venturesamongara00ford (find matches)
Title: 'Ventures among the Arabs in desert, tent and town; thirteen years of pioneer missionary life with the Ishma-elites of Moab, Edom and Arabia
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Forder, Archibald, 1863-
Subjects: Missions
Publisher: Boston, W. N. Hartshorn
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
e greater part of the Bedouin are freefrom any form of government. Every tribeand family has its sheikh, or chief, to whomthey refer in times of doubt, difficulty, anddansrer. His decision often settles matters.The position is not hereditary, but is oftenkept in the same family, the only reason forchoosing one from another family being theinability of the son of the late chief to conductaffairs or rule his people. The events and experiences related in thisbook may lead some of the readers to concludethat the Arabs are a very unsociable and dan-gerous lot to live among. After many yearsamong them, I firmly believe that ignorant fa-naticism, coupled with deeply embedded super-stition, has been the cause of much that I havepassed through. Give the Bedouin a chance,gain his respect and confidence, and you havemade a faithful and lifelong friend. Sincethe day that Ishmael was cast out into thedesert, it seems that every mans hand hasbeen against him, but a brighter day is dawn-ing for him.
Text Appearing After Image:
■PHOTOGRAPH BY C. . AN ARAB SHEIK The sheik, or chief, is one who controls a tribe, town, village or encampment. Tribaldisputes are referred to him for settlement. Among the nomads, he orders the camp to bemoved and selects the new pitch. This sheik, who is a Christian, is the chief of Me-daba, and a good friend to the author of this book. CHAPTER V NEW EXPERIENCES UNDER DIFFICULTIES OUR arrival in Kerak was the cause ofmuch excitement for many days. Theenormous demands of the avaricious chiefscaused us much annoyance. The Turkishgovernment had no authority in the region,and we had no one to appeal to for help. Theruling sheikh was unable to control either hismany sons or others who considered them-selves of importance. In time our baggage was brought in, butwe discovered that some of it had been opened,and many things were missing. We madeour home in a room about twenty feet square,half underground; there was neither windownor chimney, and the only opening into it wasthe door. The

Note About Images