Chapter concerning some people called Baduin [Bedâwin]

Departing from the said city Gezan, we went for five days always in sight of land, that is to say, the land was on our left-hand; and seeing some habitations on the sea shore, we disembarked fourteen of our people to ask for some provi­ sions in exchange for our money. They answered our request by beginning to throw stones at us with slings, and these were certain people who are called Baduin : they were in number more than one hundred, and we were only fourteen. W e fought with them for about an hour, so that twenty-four of them remained dead on the field, and all the others took to flight; for they were naked, and had no other arms than these slings. W e took all that we could, namely, fowls, calves, oxen, and other things fit to eat. In the course o f two or three hours the disturbance began to increase, as did also the inha-

1 Bedouin, or more correctly Bedawin, sing. Bedawy. From the col­ lective Bedu, properly ‘ a desert.’ Hence the literal rendering is * desert-men but the designation is frequently applied to Arabs who inhabit the open country in contradistinction to those who dwell in towns. In this instance, however, Varthema may have taken the term from the village El-Bedawi, there being one o f that name midway between Jeez&n and Camr&n. Another locality in the neighbourhood, called Khabt elBakk&r, Niebuhr describes as being inhabited by some wandering fami­ lies who were accused of plundering all travellers who came in their way. Voyage en Arabie, vol. iii. p. 233.