559 
BEDOUINS OF SINAI. 
accustomed to make frequent inroads into this territory, in order 
to carry off the date-harvest, and other fruits.* Whenever the in 
undation of the Nile failed, they repaired in great numbers to these 
mountains, and pastured their herds in the fertile valleys, the ve 
getation of which is much more nutritious for camels and sheep 
than the luxuriant but insipid pastures on the banks of the Nile. 
After long wars the Szowaleha and Aleygat succeeded in reducing 
the Oulad Soleiman; many of their families were exterminated, 
others fled, and their feeble remains now live near Tor, where they 
still pride themselves upon having been the former lords of this 
peninsula. The Szowaleha and Aleygat, however, did not agree, 
and had frequent disputes among themselves. At that period there 
arrived at Sherm four families of the Mezeine, a very potent tribe 
in the Hedjaz, east of Medina, where they are still found in large 
numbers, forming part of the great tribe of Beni Harb. They 
were flying from the effects of blood-revenge, and wishing to settle 
here, they applied to the Szowaleha, begging to be permitted to 
join them in their pastures. The Szowaleha consented, on con 
dition of their paying a yearly tribute in sheep, in the same man 
ner as the despised tribe of Heteym, on the opposite coast of the 
gulf of Akaba, does to all the surrounding Arabs.( 
ole ). The high spirited Mezeine however rejected the 
offer, as derogatory to their free born condition, and addressed 
themselves to the Aleygat, who readily admitted them to their bro 
therhood and all their pastures. Long and obstinate wars between 
the Szowaleha and Aleygat were the consequence of this com 
pact. The two tribes fought, it is said, for forty years ; and in the 
greatest and the last battle, which took place in Wady Barak, the 
Mezeine decided the contest in favour of the Aleygat.* So 
* Some encampments of Szowaleha are still found in the Sherkieh.