sheiks' swords. 173 more than likely, be felt by any one, who instead of now reading this in his snug room, and probably laughing at it, was at once brought into these countries, and thus introduced to the sight of such an animal in its full liberty. In short, the sight of this proud, royal pair, had awakened and excited all our spirits and life, after they had been sunk from a seven hours' ride, the reguhir movement of the camels, and more than all by the hot scorching midday's sun, and most horrible thirst.

On this occasion, as before, we observed that the Arab Siieiks seem to place far more confidence in their old straight cross-handled blades, than in the light, crooked Turkish sabre. In purchasing these swords the Arabs use every precaution ; they have their own marks or ideas on this point, and should a sword be wanting in one of them, though in every other respect good, it is looked on by them as valueless. First of all, it must not be new, or at least not liave an}' appearance of being so ; a certain part of tlie double edges must show itself ground out, so that the lines may run in the form of a bow, and on one of its sides must a lion be engraved, and on the otlier a figure the meaning of which I have not been able to find out. The blade is hollow {i.e. a shallow groove must run along both edges of the flat, but never get completely into the centre), pointed and double edged the whole way down. These are the principal necessary points. Many of these swords are veiy old, and this can be clearly proved, as the present possessors are well aware of their history, and proud of it ; the swords are handed down from father to son, and one never hears of new blades being carried into the country. Whence these swords come, no one knows, and they never have either the maker's name or residence on them, as far as we could discover. Ask any one whence they come, and he answers, ' ]\Iin, beid, beid ! " (From far, from far !) either from the north (Riff) or from far beyond the Bach'r male (Red, literally, salt sea), and were made by heathens (Kaff'rn). In Cairo we saw, at the uiercliant's Biagini, of Genoa, many swords from the manufactory of Kiill of Solingen ; but still they were all in some way different from those generally in use here, and principally in being ground off round at the point. But I afterwards bought, on my journey to Mandera, two swords, of which one, a new blade from Solingen, had the usual sharp point, the other was