THE LAND OF UZ.

" TnERE was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job." The familiar, opening words of the Book of Job have sug- gested a title to Mr. G. Wyman Bury (" Abdullab Ma-nsilr"), for Southern Arabia., of which he writes, is often said to be the land of Uz. Many Englishmen might think that Job was sufficiently tormented.by living in the neighbourhood of Aden without any further trials. But even Aden is maligned unfairly in some ways, and as for the hinterland of the Aden ''Protectorate it is almost less known to European explorers than any other part of the world. The great Arabian desert has never been crossed by a European, and even at a distance of about fifty miles from Aden there are regions in which, se far as is known, Europeans have never set foot. Arabia is one of the most obvious of the few new worlds to conquer which remain for our exploring Alexanders. The author of this book probably knows the hinterland of the Aden Protectorate more intimately than any living Englishman, and he would be willing to survey practically the whole of South-Western Arabia if he were allowed to do so. The objections come not from the tribes- men, with whom Mr. Bury is generally able to strike up a friendship (an exchange of shots often serving as the intro- . ductory remarks), but from the. British Government, which naturally does not wish to find itself drawn into sonic superfluous entanglement. We hope that some day it may be possible for Mr. Bury to see more of the land of Us than he has already seen. But even as it is he has had experiences

• which have fallen to no other European, and which have enabled him to write .a book remarkable for its curious learning of Arab .customs, its observation, its humour, its high spirits, .and its undesigned testimony to the high per- sonal courage of the author.

A fact which proves how little Southern Arabia is known is •

' The Land of Ile. fly Abdultah Marian. O. Wyman Bury). With Illuatra- Adnin..' j.ondon': 751aonfilitmand Co, [8n. ad. DQt,1

related by General _Maitland, who was formerly Political' Resident at Aden, in the preface to this book. When the British Government agreed in 1901 to demarcate the boundary between the Aden Hinterland and the Turkish possessions the British Government and the Government of India, were surprised to discover that the line did not traverse. a desert region, but lay across mountainous districts contain- ing many more or less fertile valleys, at least as well popu- lated as Scotland in the middle of the eighteenth century.

General Maitland thinks that two or three thousand years ago, when the Sabean and Himyarite kingdoms were flourishing, South-Western Arabia was more fertile than now. The remains of a prosperous civilization would certainly lead one to suppose so; and it would not indeed be astonish- ing if Southern Arabia has suffered from the same change of climate (or cycle of climate or whatever it may be) as• Palestine and Central Asia. Nearly every visitor to Aden goes. to lee the famous ancient tanks, but nowadays there is never- enough water to fill more than a small part of them, and generally they are dry. As regards the natives of Southern Arabia, they are small, dark, coarse-featured, and nearly beardless—a different type of Arab altogether from the more familiar Northern Arab, who is tall, well-bearded, and wears• a quantity of flowing raiment. The clothes of the Southern Arab are so scanty that the chiefs who come in to see the Resident at Aden have sometimes to be provided with gar- ment& for the oocasion. The Southern Arabs are nearly related to the Abyssinians.

The more important part of Mr. Bury's book is .Part II., in

which he describes his wanderings outside the .Aden Protec- torate in districts where other Europeans have not been. These travels have covered a period of seven years, and Mr. Bury has gone in the guise of a down-country chief. Arab etiquette requires that you should send notice in advance of your intention to visit the territory of any particular clan. The chief of the clan is then prepared to receive you civilly, and has made up his mind on the important question of how much blackmail to levy on you. Occasionally Mr. Bury reluctantly tried to slip through a territory unannounced, because he knew that the•

exactions of the chief would be too much for his pocket. In that case he and his escort had to take the risks of a fusillade. Mr•. Bury describes the spirit of such an incident, which we must say be also accepted in exactly the right spirit.

" These incidents are inseparable from ordinary South Arabian travel, and should be regarded as demonstrations only, if no. serious harm has been done, or blood-feud arise therefrom. In. this case all that the Ahl Ba Ras implied was, 'It's like your cheek to bring strangers through our limits without consulting- us' ; and the action of the affronted ruling clan was merely intended to convey the answer, Who are you, any way ?' The reader has perhaps seen two urchins in a street altercation. They begin by slapping each other, each slap being a little harder than its predecessor, until they clinch and roll in the gutter with a. comprehensive grip of each other's hair. This illustrates the bickering that occurs between neighbouring clans of the same. tribe until some serious incident happens to embitter the proceed- ings. You never know your luck, and the uncertainty as to whether you're in for a fight or a feast does much to relieve the monotony of South Arabian travel. Inter-tribal engagements, however, are often stern and bloody."

Some of Mr. Bury's hints for the traveller are delightful reading. Take the following, for instance i--

" If in the desert watch at sunrise whither the sand-grouse are flying, and later (after eight o'clock and before ten) whence they come. They water after sunrise for two hours, and then fly back to the open ; in some districts they also drink before sunset, but this habit is not general. The fox can do without water, so do. not trust him ; nor the baboon, for though he may have a well- nigh inaccessible supply somewhere, he has probably fouled it so that it is unfit to drink, even if you find it. Doves must drink, little and often, but sometimes go a considerable distance from their supply. Still, a lot of these birds fluttering about from tree to tree indicate the vicinity of a well. Mistrust single birds or small parties ; they are probably after spilled grain along a. caravan route. They never roost far from water if they can help. it. The green pigeon feeds so extensively on wild figs that he drinks at irregular intervals, and is not a good water-guide ; nor is the common rock-pigeon. Of course you would know enough to 'spot' wag-tails, three varieties of which visit Arabia, but they sometimes feed in open stubble some distance from water. Put them up, and they will fly back towards it."

The people of Southern Arabia are divided sharply into combatants and non-combatants. The combatants are distinct tribes which keep to themselves by the practice of endogamy. The tribes are ruled over theoretically by sultans, who for the most Tart have been imported. from outside the tribe,. but actually the controlling spirits are the tlkils, or senior chiefs. .Mr. Bury describes an interview be had with the ftkil of the .Maan tribe. He had been surveying, and wandering outside the Maan territory, where be was then enjoying hospitality, he had become engaged in a skirmish with a neighbouring tribe. On his return to Maan territory he was summoned by the akil, who was displeased that firing should have taken xilace in this informal manner. The following conversation ensued:- "' Your news, Abdullah al Mansfir P 'The news is good, O ail,' I replied with the usual tribal evasion. Methought I

beard firing in the direction whither you went forth this morning, unattended by any people of mine.' Such was probably the

case,' I admitted ; then plunged in medias res: was making a mokshah (map) up on the crest of Purdah, and the Ba Ras sallied :forth against us. The retainers of your household came to our .assistance, and they of Kawlah retired. There was no killing.' Now, of your favour, hoar me, al Mansfir. A. termagant sub-tribe -which resents our rule fell foul of you, a guest of our house, being unattended by any of its representatives. This blackens our face. Is our arm so feeble that you should look to stranger asfiltir for support and protection ? Do you think that because it suits our policy to be lenient with these refractory vassals that we cannot protect you from their violence ? 'Chief!' I answered, no such thoughts were mine. One does not hunt hare with a matchlock, nor did I 'wish to burden your hospitality by applying for a special esoort an a case where we apprehended no serious opposition." Noted,' he replied. 'In future, remember that Maan is ever ready to escort its guests—go where they list. Let there be no more of those unprotected wanderings, which tend to throw dust on our beard. 1 have spoken.' I gave him the required assurance with genuine contrition, for this moderate and dignified rebuke had a far greater effect than voltus instances Pyranni (the crabbed, censorious corn- xnents of calumnious colonels)."

We must not quote more, though we should like to do so. We are quite sure that if ever further peaceful expeditions into the interior should be sanctioned by the Government Mr. Bury could be allowed to control such expeditions with the least likelihood of provocation. He is a man of infinite resource and patience, and it is plain that he likes the Southern Arabs and that they like him. When be opens fire he does it with no bitterness, but because he knows it is -expected of him according to the curious customs of the land of Uz.