‘A Pilgrimage to Nejd, the cradle of the Arab race. A visit to the court of the Arab Emir, and "Our Persian Campaign."' [‎11] (54/334)

cu. i.]
A blood feud.
which circumstance he received the name of
Gomussa or the " scratcher." From him the Go-
mussa tribe are descended. They first came into
notice about seventy years ago when they attacked
and plundered the Bagdad caravan which happened
to be conveying a large sum of money. With these
sudden riches they acquired such importance that
they have since become the leading section of the
tribe, and they are now undoubtedly the possessors
of the best mares among the Anazeh. The Mizrab
Sheykhs nevertheless still assert superiority in
point of birth, and a vestige of their old claims
still exists in their titular right to the tribute of
Palmyra.
Mijuel s son, Afet, or Japhet, whom we met at
Beteyen's camp last spring, has taken, it would
appear, an active part in the late fighting. During
the battle where Sofcamm was defeated by the
Sebaa and their allies, the head of the Ibn Jendal*"
family, pursued by some Welled Ali horsemen,
yielded himself up a prisoner to Afet whose father-
in-law he was, and who sought to give him pro
tection by covering him with his cloak. But
the Ibn Smeyr were at blood feud with the Ibn
Jendals, and in such cases no asylum is sacred.
One of Mohammed Dukhi's sons drao^ed Ibn
OO
Jendal out of his hiding-place and slew him before
Afet s eyes. On that day the Sebaa took most of
the mares and camels they had lost in the previous
* One of the noblest of the Eoala families.