Note 85 — Chapter III · PASTORAL TRIBES.

When speaking of the Larbas, we have seen that their mode of life is un peu toujours comme la guerre. Their describer states: “Theft is the most threatening evil the nomad has to deal with; he is therefore most severe in suppressing it, the punishment being invariably death.” He also speaks of free servants, members of the family, who live under the protection and at the expense of some rich head of a family; they are generally very numerous, and form a body of clients that strengthens their patron’s power85.