ACCOUNT OF THE BEDOUIN TRIBES

Summary

ADDITIONS TO THE CLASSIFICATION OF BEDOUIN TRIBES

A considerable portion of the Wold Aly tribe reside above Khaibar, in the Southern Desert of Arabia.

The tribe of el Hessenne.—Their chief is named Mehanna, having been born in the “low-grounds,” so called in the Desert, between Tedmor and Anah. Those low grounds, which are denominated “wádys,” and of which the Bedouins distinguish eight as the principal in this direction, are the pasturing places of all the great Aeneze tribes in winter time, and extend for a distance of five days' journies from west to east. Wady Hauran, which has been mentioned in a preceding account of this Desert, forms a part of those wadys. During the last century this ground was the continual scene of conflict between the Mowaly Arabs, who were then very powerful, but at present inhabit the desert about Aleppo, and the Beni Khaled tribe from Basra. On those grounds both tribes were accustomed to meet in winter, and contend for the right of pasture.

The Djelás, or el Rowalla

This third branch of the great Aeneze nation is not properly named Rowalla, but Djelás, and these are divided into two principal tribes.

1. El Rowalla (a name which should not be applied to the whole branch): their minor tribes are el Ktaysán, el Doghama, el Feregge, and el Naszyr.

2. The Omhallef, whose sheikh is el Maadjel.—To these belong the tribes of Abdelle, Fersha, el Bedour, and el Sowaleme.