From time immemorial men have looked upon the limitless, barren Arabian deserts with their diffusion in time and space, their special cadence and gliding, half-seen objects, as they did upon the rolling, blending, inscrutable oceans. Exclusive lordship was meaningless. Yet those vacant areas were not totally free for holding to whoever chose: the fact is that hills and valleys had acknowledged masters asserting rights of tribes, clans and families. Even the scarce wells and sparse plants had owners who permitted the taking of water and firewood according to necessity.