Approach by sea through coral reefs — The maritime plain and the mountains beyond — Desert flowers — Summer calm on the pearling grounds — Sandstorm — Winter rain — Golden desert and turquoise sea — Coral gardens — Port Sudan — Suakin 1 CHAPTER II THE PEOPLE, SOCIAL AND RELIGIOUS CONDITIONS The three nationalities — The negroes — Escapes from slavery, Mabrûk’s adventure — Introduction to a Hamitic native — Dress and arms — Women — Sexual morality, duels — Government under Shêkhs — Tribal fights — Fraternity and Equality, little Liberty — The power of tradition — Mohammedanism 15 CHAPTER III RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES AND SUPERSTITIONS Religious phraseology — Veneration of Shêkhs — “Old Man Flea” and his legends — The mûled celebration and “dervish dance” — Amulets — Witchcraft — Milking — Evil Eye — Pearls — Cats — Eclipse of the Moon — Medical — British parallels — Honesty 35 CHAPTER IV THE DAILY LIFE OF THE PEOPLE Desert farming — Nomad life — Tents and utensils — Amusements 50 CHAPTER V SAILORS, FISHERMEN AND PEARL DIVERS The _sambûk_ — Arab travel — Pearl fishing — Diving — Fishing nets and spears — Sting rays and sawfish 59 CHAPTER VI WOMEN’S LIFE Social position and influence — Divorce — Ibrahim’s wife, forgiveness and death — Women’s work — Home 73 PART II CORALS AND CORAL REEFS CHAPTER VII CORALS AND CORAL ANIMALS Importance of corals — Coral polyp and sea anemone — Propagation by cuttings — Colonial polyps — Forms of corals — Fungia — Coral gardens — Colours — Place in marine life, and in Evolution 83 CHAPTER VIII THE BUILDING OF REEFS Fate of dead corals — Stony seaweeds — Rate of growth of a reef — Destruction of coral by sponge, mollusca, &c. — Form of a coral reef — Origin by growth of coral — Abrasion of the shore forming reef flat — Origin of the boat channel — Distinctive features of coral reefs formed by abrasion alone in Zanzibar, Cape Verde Islands, and near Alexandria — Recrystallisation of limestone — Three kinds of reef — The problem of Atolls — Darwin’s Theory — The Funafuti boring — Atolls formed by direct growth 98 CHAPTER IX THE MAKING OF THE RED SEA