Reviews of A Narrative of a Year's Journey through Central and Eastern Arabia, 1862-63 by William Gifford Palgrave, Published 1865 [‎7v] (14/42)

192
Palgrave'5 Arabia,
are generally faithful. Of his disquisitions on theological subjects
we shall only say that to us the effect of those elaborate digres
sions, which interrupt the narrative, is unpleasant, and their
value doubtful.
Having resolved to go to Nejd, Mr. Palgrave selected a route
which is difficult and therefore not much frequented, but which
was the most direct from Gaza, whence he set out. Crossing
the caravan road from Damascus to Medina, at Ma'an, he there
remained some days to complete his preparations and obtain
guides and camels. From thence they struck at once into the
desert, on the route to Jowf. He was to travel in the dis
guise of a Syrian physician, and had supplied himself with the
requisite drugs and Arabic medical books; but, fearing that
his services in this capacity might not always be in request, he
had also laid in a small stock of such articles of merchandise as
were likely to find a ready sale—a combination of scientific and
commercial pursuits which is by no means considered anomalous
in the East. On this he remarks that,
e Could we have foreknown the real nature of the countries before
us, we might have very well dispensed with a good part of our
mercantile provisions, designed mainly for Bedouin purchasers, and
augmented on the other hand our medical supplies, more adapted to
townsmen and villagers. But supposing, like most people, that
Arabia was almost exclusively the territory of nomades, and that the
fixed population must be proportionally small fand unimportant, we
deemed the former class of articles at least as available as the latter;
a grievous mistake, and of which we soon became aware. For after
once traversing this first stage of our journey, the rest of our way
across the inner provinces, and up to the very shores of the Persian
Gulf and Indian Ocean, lay, with very little exception, through coun
tries where Bedouins stand for little or nothing, whereas, on the
contrary, the settled inhabitants of the soil, with their towns, tillage,
and governments, are everything. But all this we had yet to learn.'
Now had Mr. Palgrave taken as much care to make himself
acquainted with the information relating to Nejd which had
been collected by Europeans and which was accessible to every
one, as he had taken to read up the Arabic writings of which he
gives a catalogue—had he even consulted Burckhardt alone, he
would have known that Arabia, and especially Nejd, was far
from being exclusively the territory of nomades. Burckhardt says
(p. 459) :~
4 Kasym, which is the most fertile district in the province of
Nedjed, begins at Dat. The name of Nedjed, signifying high or
elevated ground, is given to the country in opposition to Tehama or
" low lands " applied to the sea-coast. It seems to be an oblong tract,
extending between three and four days' journey from west to east, and
two journeys in breadth from south to north. Within this space are
above