ARAB AND DRUZE AT HOME
ARAB SHEIKH
(Photo: The Photochrome Co. Ld.)
[i]
ARAB AND DRUZE
AT HOME
A RECORD OF TRAVEL
AND INTERCOURSE WITH THE PEOPLES
EAST OF THE JORDAN
BY
WILLIAM EWING, M.A.
FIVE YEARS RESIDENT AT TIBERIAS
THIRTY-ONE ILLUSTRATIONS AND MAP
LONDON: T. C. & E. C. JACK
16 HENRIETTA STREET W.C.
AND EDINBURGH
1907
[ii]
TO
MY FATHER
TIBERIAS FROM THE SEA
[iv]
FOREWORD
The number of books published regarding Palestineproves the exhaustless fascination of the subject.Most of them, however, deal with Western Palestine;and even of this, beyond the districts traversed bythe annual stream of tourists, comparatively little isheard.
The lands beyond the Jordan are seldom visited.For the ordinary sight-seer the difficulties and dangersare considerable; but these almost entirely vanishbefore one who can speak the language and is ableto mingle freely with the people.
This book is an attempt to lift a little way theveil which still so largely obscures that region, inspite of its great and splendid history; where picturesqueand beautiful scenery, the crumbling memorialsof grey antiquity, and the life of villager and nomadto-day, cast a mysterious spell upon the spirit.
While the information given in the followingpages is woven round the narrative of a singlejourney, it is the outcome of frequent travel andfamiliar intercourse with the peoples both east andwest of Jordan.
[vi]During a residence of over five years in Palestinethe writer was privileged often, quite alone or with asingle native attendant, to visit the peasantry andthe Beduw, to share the shelter of mud hut andgoat’s-hair tent, to enjoy their abounding hospitalityand friendly converse in the medāfy, on the house-top,and around the camp-fire in the wilderness.
What is here related regarding these strange butdeeply interesting peoples was either learned fromtheir own lips or verified in converse with them.
The author offers his tribute of affection andgratitude to the memory of Dr. H. Clay Trumbullof Philadelphia, U.S.A., surely the most ge