We passed through two herds of Kabbashi camels grazing. A small urchin who was walking was so surprised when I said, “How do you do?” that he was still staring at me when I had gone on 200 yards. Why does an old she-camel always remind one of a maiden aunt?…
-Diary entry, July 3, 1931, C.A.E. Lea
I had many occasion to ask villagers standing next to their tukuls, Kayf al-hal?, How is the condition? I usually got an immediate answer, Al-hamdu lillah, Praise to Allah, no matter how surprised they may have been to see a khawaja saddled up or how miserable they truthfully were. But one thing is certain, if I had asked, Why is a she-camel like ‘Ammtak, your paternal aunt, as opposed to, say, Khaltak, your maternal aunt, a little boy- Ya Walad!, O Boy! I might have called to him- standing beside that grass hut would have thought me crazy, not just a passing stranger, and continued to stare at me after I’d ridden by for miles.