'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎103] (236/458)

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MEMOIR ON THE “TIGRIS.”
103
osiession of firo arms, cared little for expulsion, being too indepen
dent to work, unless upon their own terms. They kept within a
cer tain distance of the bridge for fear of surprize by the Bedoins,
bavin 0 * their camps between the radiating canals, for a further se-
curity against horsemen, whose advance from a distance is duly sig
nalized by scouts, constantly on the watch from the high embank
ments of the old conduits : our party created some alarm to them
when afar off, but the smallness of numbers, distinguished as we
approached, soon set them at ease.
The Majummah, as the name implies, are a large tribe congregated
from minor families of Arabs, who are individually so small as to be
unable to protect themselves, and parts of larger hordes who have
originally migrated from a distance on account of feuds or oppres
sion on the part of the Government. They lead both a pastoral and
agricultural life, and are only so far nomade as to wander over the
territory assigned them, which is the most northerly of the cultivated
district bordering the Tigris and Dijeil. Parties of them are found
in the KMlis district, East of the Tigris, whither they have gone in
search of employment ; but by far the greater portion have their
residence on the west of the stream, and extend from Sumeycheh to
opposite Sa nara. They bear the character of most arrant and ex
pert thieves, not in the Bedoin sense of the term, who, like the
Borderers of old, “ lift” whole droves of cattle at a time, and reckon
“ border theft and high treason” true gentlemanly accomplishments ;
but as petty larcenists that, like the shark in the wake of a ship, will
follow caravans with a prying eye until they observe something
worth purloining which they seldom fail in the end to secure—on
these expeditions they are generally well known, and precautions
are therefore taken when a Majummah is seen marching in company
along the road. Not unfrequently they receive desperate wounds in
following their favorite pursuits, and this evening, we have one of
the principal men craving a remedy for deafness, and a singing in the
left ear, which he says, is the effect of a blow on the head inflicted
on him while sitting innocently down in a camp at Samara, by a
native of that place. On enquiry we find his brother had been shot
“ flagrante delicto^ while removing the contents of a saddle-bag from