CHAPTER II.

NOTES ON THE FAMILIES IN "AL-KHAMSEH."

THE families and strains of blood which have been shown in the roll of "Al-Khamseh " are in several instances variously esteemed by different tribes of Anazah and other Badaween, and are not always spoken of under exactly the same names.

The mother family of Keheilet Ajuz—that is, the main or leading strain without any further specific adjunct appears to be equally esteemed by all. There is nothing to surpass it.

The term Keheilan or Keheilet is generally added to every individual horse or mare of such strains of blood as have to some extent become separate or distinct from a primary family by being in the possession of certain families or individuals whose names they may bear, or as may have names to commemorate some event or feat and have not perhaps become established as secondary families, for the double purpose of briefness in description and for noticing the authenticity of the blood. Thus, Keheilet-Nowak is a Keheilet

or Arabian mare of the Nowak family, instead of Keheilet Ajuz al-Nowak, an Arabian mare of the Keheilet Ajuz blood in the Nowak family. There are apparent anomalies in "Al-Khamseh" which are perplexing. I am convinced, however, that they are capable of explanation; but, as I warned my readers, it is probable only some among the Anazah do fully understand “AlKhamseh."

It appears to me that although there are numerous offshoots from the Keheilet Ajuz, each with a specific name, there is still a main line or strain of descent carried on of Keheilet Ajuz without any other distinguishing name, and that the name Keheilet Ajuz is sufficient to mark any such horse or mare; and when a horse is described as Keheilan Ajuz simply, it generally means that such a one is of the main line of descent; whereas, in all or almost all other families in “AlKhamseh," to mention the general family name is not sufficient. Thus, in the cases of the Manakhi, the Hadban, the Jelfon families, and the secondary one of Seklawi, were a horse to be described only as one of those families, as a Seklawi or Manakhi, the question would immediately follow-Which Manakhi? Which Seklawi ? as if in these families there were no main or leading lines of descent carried on, but that they were all divided into branches, each of which had a separate designation. Thus it would appear that Manakhi must either be Manakhi Hedruj or of some other specific name; and Seklawi must be Seklawi-Jedran, or with some other approved adjunct. In the case of the Seklawi family this

is especially necessary, for I think there are other Seklawi families or strains which are not in "Al-Khamseh" and may have no relationship to the Seklawi-Jedran. The Seklawi-Jedran, on the authority of Suleyman ibn Mirshid, the Shaykh of the Komasa Sabaah Anazah, and leader of all the tribes, "Shaykh of Shaykhs," "The Shaykh" par excellence, and who was one of those thoroughly versed in the strains of Keheilan blood, is a secondary family from Keheilet Ajuz. He assured us that Seklawi-Jedran was certainly of Keheilet Ajuz; and I think the Seklawi-Jedran, forming with SeklawiObeiri and Seklawi al-Abd a cognate group, is the only Seklawi recognized by the Anazah.

Although I think that all strains and families in "AlKhamseh" must be recognized, and as far as we saw were esteemed among several tribes of Badaween we visited, I could not help noticing that among the Anazah certain families seemed to be but little regarded. There can be no doubt that some especial strains were equally esteemed by all Anazah, as well as other Badaween, and it is possible that others which were not so universally regarded with favour may have their partisans in particular tribes.

Jelfon and Homdani did not appear to us to be in general favour in the Anazah. Horses of the former family were sufficiently numerous in many other tribes of Badaween we visited, but I do not remember to have seen any in the Sabaah; but, for all that, other portions of the Anazah race may have them and value them,

Y

though on this point I am not sure. In the neighbourhood of Damascus, it was reported to us, there were more Arab horses of the Jelfon family than any other. Of the Homdani we saw but very few, and these were not seen collectively, but scattered about. One mare, and she was a fine one and a beautiful creature, was said to have come from the Ibn Hiddal Anazah, which is a family in the great Bisher branch of the Anazah race, from which too the Sabaah and Fadan tribes originally sprung; yet when we mentioned Homdani to Suleyman ibn Mirshid, he shook his head. He evidently did not esteem the family, and appeared to us to displace it and to substitute for it Keheilan Arkab Swerha. As I said before, the few mares and one horse we saw of this family were isolated animals, and, unlike the Jelfon, did not seem to be common among those tribes of Badaween who are in the desert between Syria and the Euphrates; at least, we did not see them. Like the Jelfon, there are, as far as I heard, only two strains in each family. In the Jelfon, that called Stam al-Bulad is most esteemed, and in the Homdani, that with the distinguishing name of Simri was said to be the more highly thought of.

The horses we saw among the Sabaah were principally those of Keheilet Ajuz and of certain of the special strains from the mother line; of the Seklawi-Jedran group, of the Abayan, Manakhi, and Hadban families.

All Badaween, as well as all Anazah, equally value the direct or main line of Keheilet Ajuz. There did not seem to be any deviation from this general rule. It was held in the highest estimation.

Of the simple or distinct strains from the mother family of Keheilet Ajuz we found the following to be highly esteemed, and I think to some extent those most numerously represented: Nowak, Tamri, Hadeli, Addenais (ie. Al-Denais, but strictly pronounced Addenais), Dahman abu Amr, abu Junub, abu Arkab, Haloadj, Milliah, etc. Of the Nowak there is an especial strain in great repute called Dabah Nowak, and I believe not generally to be found except among the Sabaah Anazah, the Dabah being a family among the Sabaah, if not actually of the Komasa tribe. Tamri, i.e. the Keheilans of the family of Tamer (which means literally "a ripe date "), we found in the Komasa tribe and heard of in the Ruallah tribe, which tribe was a family of the Jelas Anazah, but generally associated with and accompanying the Walud Ali branch of the Anazah race. The Tamri

strain is much prized. Hadeli we did not see in the Sabaah-it is not common; the Hrissa Anazah possess the strain and esteem it. Al-Denais, or Addenais, which is simply a strain of Keheilet Ajuz possessed by the Denais family, is generally esteemed, as is also Abu Junub; and here we have an example of a name derived from a personal or characteristic feature, Abu Junub being the father or possessor of sides or flanks in a horse, in this instance without doubt from the original mare being particularly good in the flank. Dahman abu Amr was certainly a favourite strain, and I think one of those gradually assuming, if it has not already done so, the state of a secondary family; among the Sabaah Anazah certainly horses of this strain were