WADY OSH.
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seen, the valleys reaching to the very summits, where they form
a plain, and thence descend on the other side. A very pointed
peak of rocks, near the left of the summit of Wady Genne, is
known by the appellation of Zob el Bahry(). After
crossing a short plain, we again descended S. E. by S. and entered ¬
the valley called Wady Berah (,), where I saw another -
block with inscriptions. Near it were many others, but effaced. ¬
The following was more regularly and clearly written
than any 1 have seen :
COISINCIE
We descended slowly through this valley, which is covered with
sand, till, at the end of ten hours, we entered a side valley called
Wady Osh (), and at ten hours and a half alighted at an
encampment of Bedouins, pitched at no great distance from a
burial ground similar to that which we had passed in the morning.
This encampment belonged to the Oulad Said (SS), a
branch of the Szowaleha tribe, and one of their Sheikhs, Hassan
(), had his tent here ; this we entered, though he was absent,
and the Arabs had a long and fierce dispute among themselves to
decide who should have the honour of furnishing us a supper, and
a breakfast the next morning. He who first sees thie stranger from
afar, and exclaims : “ There comes my guest,” has the right of entertaining ¬
him, whatever tent he may alight at. A lamb was killed
for me, which was an act of great hospitality ; for these Bedouins
are poor, and a lamb was worth upwards of a Spanish dollar, a
sum that would afford a supply of butter and bread to the family
for a whole weck. I found the same custom to prevail here, which
I observed in my journey through the northern parts of Arabia
Petræa ; when meat is served up, it is the duty of one ofthe guests
to demand a portion for the women, by calling out “ Lahm el
