'Personal Narrative of a pilgrimmage to Al-Madinah and Meccah. Vol. II' [‎105] (128/568)

XXV.—The Badawin of Al-Hijaz,
lastics greyhounds pull down when fatigued. I have heard much
>n the of their excellent marksmanship, but saw only moderate
■hayni practice with a long matchlock rested and fired at stand-
e men ingobjects. Double-barreled guns are rare amongst them. 1
, and Their principal weapons are matchlocks and firelocks,
on in pistols, javelins, spears, swords, and the dagger called
which Jambiyah ; the sling and the bow have long been given
~ — up. The guns come from Egypt, Syria, and Turkey ; for
names Badawi cannot make, although he can repair, this
Inven- arm • • He particularly values a good old barrel seven
India, spans long, and would rather keep it than his coat ; con-
liunted sequently, a family often boasts of four or five guns, which
■ace o( descend from generation to generation. Their price varies
ewThe ^ r0m ^ W0 sixt y dollars. The Badawin collect nitre in
rained coun try, make excellent charcoal, and import sulphur
owl is f rom Egypt and India ; their powder, however, is coarse
catch- and weak. For hares and birds they cut up into slugs a
1 lin ) bar of lead hammered out to a convenient size, and they
•"for Cast m oulds. They are fond of ball-practice,
nown. as every sensible man does, at short distances, and
at the striving at extreme precision. They are ever backing
ric IL themselves with wagers, and will shoot for a sheep, the
l0Ser invitin ^ his friends t0 a f ea st : on festivals they boil
ust^b® t ^ e ^ ea ^» and use ^ as m ark and prize. Those who affect
ilar to exce U e nce are said to fire at a bullet hanging by a thread ;
The cur ious, however, to relate, the Badawin of Al-Hijaz have
i, and but just learned the art, general in Persia and Barbary, of
kinds shooting from horseback at speed.
-izfto Pistols have been lately introduced into the Hijaz,
irable f are n ot common amongst the Badawin. The citizens
i upon ^ nc line to this weapon, as it is derived from Constantinople.
King, In the Desert a tolerable pair with flint locks may be
sport worth thirty dollars, ten times their price in England.
itury, 1 ca ^ e ^ "bandukiyah bi ruhayn," or the two-mouthed gun.
)f the 6 ® athern cover is termed "gushat"; it is a bag with a long-
innged tassel at the top of the barrel, and a strap by which it is
slung to the owner's back.