Show QUEER IDEA OF hospitality travelers in arabia guests of chief systematically Systematic aily fleeced of everything of value of the curious ideas of hospitality held by some of the natives of that wild country lying between bagdad and damascus two travelers capt butler and capt aylmer tell in tho the geographical Al magazine agazine we found ibn rashid a minor ruler ot of arabia sitting in a low room tho the roof of which was supported by wooden pillars all round the sides of the room were spread carpets on which sat his vi viviers viziers and members of his court he is a man of 33 years with a dark pointed beard good regular features but eyes that are cold and cruel and lie he has a nervous fad fidgety la t manner and was all the time arr arranging g his abba cloak and combing anti and curling his mustache and beard and admiring himself in a small cheap looking glass that hung just behind him above his head on the wall hung his silver mounted walking stick and a sword the sheath of which was also covered in silver H he e w waa as very richly dressed on arrival at the house placed at our disposal we congratulated ourselves on our good fortune in having such a cordial welcome but we were speedily disillusioned gehad not been there more than five alve minutes when Fey head slave a richly dressed personage called dahm came to tell us that the emir would not take our camels or our money as he had plenty of both but that he would like things of european make or of interest that we happened to have this was vas only too true and during out our five days stay there there was a continual processor proc esson of slaves and hang erson ers on from the castle demanding things for the emir and his viziers viviers an and d favorites and demanding them in such a way that it was impossible for us to refuse at last we had practically nothing of any value left having been fleeced of watches revolvers compasses various clothes and other articles of our kit apart from this system of more or less robbery we were well treated by tho the emir and had our food sent us from the castle by him about three or four times a day we had a royal command from him and used to go up to the castle and drink many cups of coffee and excellent sweet tea with him and talk about his country and europe he was always very genial on these occasions and I 1 honestly think he be considered he was treating us very well vell in not taking all 11 II we had and turning us adrift to die dia in the desert |