"دليل الجزيرة العربية المجلد I" [‎٢‎٧‎٣] (١٠٥٠/٢٨٨)

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'ASlR 27S
joined him, while others have remained faithful to the Turks, and discord has crept in
and weakened its power. It is stiP, however, very powerful, and in purely tribal matters
has the ultimate word over the majority. The paramount chief is 'Abdul Aziz Ibn
Mushait, now an old man of 60, who lives in considerable stfite at Dahban, and also
owns a house in Khamis-al-Mushait, the largest and most important trading centre in
Asir. Shaikh 'Abdul 'Aziz is a rich man, since he levies his own taxes in this town,
taking a piastre for every donkey sold., 2 piastres for each camel, and 6 piastres for a
skin of samn, etc. The Turks do not interfere with him in this, but content themselves
with taking " ushur " from the local cultivators. He is, however, expected to entertain
freely members of the outlying sub-tribes who visit him, and always keeps an open house.
In his old age he has taken to drink, and leaves all the active management of the tribe
to his son, Saiyid Ibn 'Abd. The latter like his father supports the Turks, and is a friend
of the Sharif of Mecca, but he is also said to correspond with the Idrissi. He is now
about 32 years old, and is popular with the tribe and, as a leader, famous in war. The
only other man of importance in the family is Shaikh 'Abdul 'Aziz's nephew, Sa'ad Ibn
Husain, who has been won over by the Idrissi, with the promise of the chief Shaikhship
if he can oust his uncle and cousin. His appointment, however, would not be popular
with the tribes, for he is reputed to be mean and overbearing. His two brothers, 'Abd
Ibn Ibrahim and Husain Ibn 'Abd, are with him but have not much influence.
The A1 Rishaid live round Khamis Mushait and towards Abha and number about 4,000
men. 'Ali Ibn 'Itaij is their chief Shaikh, a fighter of repute.
They all support the Turks but they refuse to pay them taxes, nor do they join the
local gendarmerie. They are a prosperous community and the ir nomads are rich in a
beed of large white sheep. They also own many horses. They have not a good reputa
tion in war.
The A1 Ghamar are braver than the A1 Rishaid and quarrel with them. They live
along the Bani Malik boundary, and muster about 1,000 men, of whom 600 are nomads.
Muhammad Ibn Urur, their chief Shaikh, dislikes Shaikh 'Abdul 'Az:z and supports the
Idrissi. His followers, however, keep very much to their own country and do not
meddle in politics.
The Nahas are a purely nomad section and are rich in horses and sheep. They live
out to the east along the 'AbTdah boundary, and are of all the Shahran the most famous
in war. They do all their fighting on horseback, principally against the 'Afrdah. The
Kaud and the A1 Rishaid pay them " Khawa " at the rate of 12 piastres for every well
as a bribe against being plundered. They have no cultivation and live by selling samn
and their animals in Khamis Mushait. Their young men are not permitted to wear rings
until they have killed a man, and once blooded they cut a notch on the stock of their
rifles for each of their victims. Utterly out of hand, they never approach Abha, and
recognize neither the Turks nor the Idrissi nor their own paramount Shaikh. 'Aidh
Ibn Jabar is their chief, a man of 50, who has led them into battle for years.
The Kaud are entirely settled in Wadi Tindaha, which flows into the Wadi Shahran,
and is the most fertile of all the Shahran country. They are peaceable and unwarl:ke
and obedient to Shaikh 'Abdul 'Aziz.
The Bani Bijad are a large section numbering 10,000 men, of whom 7,000 are nomads.
The settled portion lives along the Abha-B:shah road between A1 Batat and Shafan,
and is entirely agricultural. The nomads are warlike and fight both on horseback and
on foot. Their cavalry carry lances as well as rifles. They are on bad terms with the
Bani Wahab and fight the 'AbTdah, Bui Ahmar, and Bui Asmar. Like most nomads
they go up to Blshah, for the date season. Saiyid Ibn Hashbal is chief over all the
sub-tribe. He was formerly with the Turks, but now sides with the Idrissi, and only
pays a nominal allegiance J to Shaikh 'Abdul 'Az"z. He collects tithes from his followers,
with whom he is popular, and is a rich man.
The Bani Wahab are the largest sub-tribe, numbering 15,000 men, of whom 13,000
are nomads.^ They live in the Wadi Shahran up to B:shah. Of all Arabs they have
the most evil reputation. They are robbers and highwaymen, treacherous, even to
their guests, have little religion and no marriage laws, and kill women and children in
their raids custom which is execrated by all other fighting tribes. They are also unclean
m their feeding and eat rats and jerboas. The man with the strongest hahd rules
th0 P r03ent Shaikh, Nasir Ibn Haif, and Haif Ibn Nasir, his son, won their
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