grievous sin to be inhospitable. The cradle of the Mohammedan religion is
Arabia, and yet in no country are they more ignorant of their religion.
How sad to think that when they do worship God they do it in such an
ignorant and idolatrous way! In our next chapter we shall see more about
this.

Arabia has no national flag, no national hymn and no national feeling.
Every one lives for himself and no one cares for his neighbour. This does
not sound strange of robbers but it does of people who are so hospitable.
This queer country we are about to visit together and talk over with each
other.

You will not grow weary by the way, we hope. If the desert tracks are long
and tiresome through the following chapters, just refresh yourself in the
oasis of a picture.




III

THE SQUARE-HOUSE WITH THE BLACK OVERCOAT


You think I am making fun but it is really true that in western Arabia
there is a house that always wears an overcoat. This is a large, square
stone house without windows and with only one door to let in the light and
the air; it is empty inside, although crowds gather around it as you see
in the picture. Yet this house always has on an overcoat of black silk,
very heavy and richly embroidered. Every year the old coat is taken off