onies. This sums up all his
entertainment, if he is a stranger little known among them; but if has
any friends in the horde, or known to be rich, they quickly kill a good
ram, or a fat sheep, to regale him. The women prepare the banquet; and
while they are dressing the flesh, they serve up the fat first raw. So
soon as the meat is ready, they begin by laying aside a portion for the
husband; then that which they appoint for any of their neighbours, with
whom they live on good terms. If this attention was neglected, it would
be an irreparable fault. They then place, with care, the travellers mess
upon a truss of straw. The Arab who is the entertainer, causes a
Christian slave or negro, to follow him, carrying on his head the repast
for the guest, which however is not set before him till ten o'clock at
night, although perhaps he arrived early in the morning. Their practice
is to give nothing to eat, till night, when they feast either by the
light of a clear moon, or by a great fire, for they must have fire in
almost every season of the year. The traveller never fails earnestly to
entreat the person who brings him his mess, to do him the honour of
eating with him, but he generally declines it as much as possible, and
his refusal is founded on respect for his guest.

The next morning the travellers pursue their journey, without taking
leave of any person whatever. This manner of entertaining one another
would be surely very commendable, were it not for the many stratagems
which they make use of to avoid it. When an unknown stranger appears,
they sometimes place at a little distance from their tent a camel's
saddle, a mat, a gun and a little bundle, all seeming to intimate the
baggage of some traveller who has alighted from his horse; but often
these precautions do not hinder the stranger from settling beside the
same baggage. The chief comes to declare that they belong to some Arab
of a neighbouring village; but as this is a plan with which they are all
equally acquainted, the visitor generally is not discouraged, he remains
there; but in this case they revenge themselves on his importunity, by
giving him a very slender portion of victuals. Then he keeps a sharp
lookout, and if he sees any fire, he runs towards it in the hope of
getting some flesh or broth. He takes great care to keep himself at
first concealed behind the tent, in order to overhear what passes there,
and to discover if they are at victuals; for they are at gr