1907.] TRIPOLI. 205 



hostess met me at the interior, and perhaps you will be 

 interested if I give you a brief description of the way she was 

 dressed, and of some of the other guests. Her hair was 

 braided down her back, and held in place with gold and silver 

 ornaments. She had at least five or six gold cords perhaps 

 seven, laced around her head and around her neck, around her 

 arms and down over the front of her dress. Then she had on 

 a blouse made qf a brilliant colored silk, sleeveless, and trim- 

 med with scarlet embroidery in gold, and three short skirts, 

 the upper one being the shortest, and the other two still longer, 

 all being made of a different brilliant shade of silk. Then 

 she had on a full Turkish lower garment of brilliant blue 

 silk. The whole was very light, and it seemed in such a 

 climate that it was a natural thing to wear, and I thought if 

 American ladies who were visiting in such a country, only 

 wore one color at a time it might be better. When I got into 

 the large drawing room of the house I found that she was 

 going to entertain us by showing us some stereoscopic pictures 

 which she had. I looked at the pictures and put them back. 

 Then I found that she wished to examine the dress that I had 

 on and one or two little ornaments. She manifested con- 

 siderable curiosity. Finally through the interpreter she said, 

 " Ask this lady if she would not like to wear one of my suits 

 for the luncheon. Tell her that we are not quite ready to serve, 

 and that there is time for her to change if she would like to." 

 Of course. I should like to, because I always wear native dress 

 where I can. So she took me with her ov/n two maids into 

 her own room, and brought out herself a most gorgeous white 

 native garment, which I put on. It was beautiful. Then she 

 brought out other things to go with it. They were the best of 

 all the clothes that she had. She also had some bracelets which 

 were so heavy, that when fastened on my arms the weight was 

 quite noticeable. They were native works of art, as well as 

 the other things, and when fastened in place extended from 

 the wrist to the elbow. And the ornament that she gave me 

 to place over each ear gave me a most effective and impressive 

 appearance. It took me fully an hour, even with the help of 

 both her maids, to get into all of those things. And when I 

 was fully dressed I was certainly one of the most gorgeous 

 specimens that you ever saw. Then I went out with her to 



