s
well as in servants, camels, horses, and flocks of all kinds--he
took pleasure in a certain state, which, besides magnifying his
dignity with strangers, contributed to his personal pride and
comfort. Wherefore the reader must not be misled by the frequent
reference to his tent in the Orchard of Palms. He had there really
a respectable dowar; that is to say, he had there three large
tents--one for himself, one for visitors, one for his favorite
wife and her women; and six or eight lesser ones, occupied by his
servants and such tribal retainers as he had chosen to bring with
him as a body-guard--strong men of approved courage, and skillful
with bow, spear, and horses.

To be sure, his property of whatever kind was in no danger at
the Orchard; yet as the habits of a man go with him to town not
less than the country, and as it is never wise to slip the bands
of discipline, the interior of the dowar was devoted to his cows,
camels, goats, and such property in general as might tempt a lion
or a thief.

To do him full justice, Ilderim kept well all the customs of his
people, abating none, not even the smallest; in consequence his
life at the Orchard was a continuation of his life in the Desert;
nor that alone, it was a fair reproduction of the old patriarchal
modes--the genuine pastoral life of primitive Israel.

Recurring to the morning the caravan arrived at the Orchard--"Here,
plant it here," he said, stopping his horse, and thrusting a spear
into the ground. "Door to the south; the lake before it thus; and
these, the children of the Desert, to sit under at the going-down
of the sun."

At the last words he went to a group of three great palm-trees,
and patted one of them as he would have patted his horse's neck,
or the cheek of the child of his love.

Who but the sheik could of right say to the caravan, Halt! or
of the tent, Here be it pitched? The spear was wrested from
the ground, and over the wound it had riven in the sod the
base of the first pillar of the tent was planted, marking the
centre of the front door. Then eight others were planted--in all,
three rows of pillars, three in a row. Then, at call, the women
and children came, and unfolded the canvas from its packing on
the camels. Who might do this but the women? Had they not sheared
the hair from the brown goats of the flock? and twisted it into
thread? and woven the thread into cloth? and stitched the cloth
together, making the perfect roof, dark-brow