594 Sir R. Ker Porter's Travels.in Georgia, Persia, Armenia, &c. 
the most lovely groups’ of youth and 
beauty, attended by ' their’ serving-wo- 
men bearing their narquillies ; a sort of 
hooker or kalioun, of which ‘even: the 
most delicate: of the’ fair sex. in’ these 
countries are remarkably fond. Before 
I proceed with the details of the enter- 
tainment, it may not be amiss to stop, 
and describe the dresses of the ladies, 
in the customary style of drawing-room 
paraphernalia. 
Women of the first consequence here 
go about on ordinary occasions on foot, 
and with scarcely any attendants; it 
being the etiquette to avoid, when in 
public, every striking distinction of ap- 
pearance. In compliance with this 
fashion, all the fair sex of the city, high 
and low, walk abroad in the blue- 
checked chadre; its folding drapery hay- 
ing no other mark of an august wearer, 
than a few gold threads woven into its 
border, Tnstead of the white towel-like 
veil of the Persians, these ladies conceal 
their faces behind a much more hideous 
mask ; a black stuff envelope of horse- 
hair. ‘The liberty they possess, of pay- 
ing visits without the surveillance of -a 
male guard, and under these impenc- 
trable garbs, are privileges perhaps too 
friendly {o’a licence their husbands do 
uot intend. So much the reverse is the 
case with Persian women of rank, they 
hardly move but on horseback, and es- 
corted always by trains of eunuchs, and 
other trusty vigilants. 
When the fair pedestrians of Bagdad 
issue from bekind their clouds, on enter- 
ing their own apartments, or those of the 
ladies they go to visit, dresses are dis- 
played’ in ‘every group, of the most 
gorgeous magnificence ; for it may ea- 
sily: be conceived, that rivalry with re- 
gard to personal charms, and graceful 
habiliments, flourishes amongst the 
belles of an’ Eastern harem, as gaily as 
with’ those of af’ European ball-room. 
The wives ‘of the higher classes° in 
Bagdad are usually selected from the 
most beautiful gitls that can be obtained 
from’ Georgia and Circassia; and; to 
their natural charms, in like manbner 
with their captive sisters’ all over ihe 
East, they add the fancied embellish- 
ments of painted ‘complexions, hands 
and feet dyed with henna, and their hair 
and eye-brows stained with the rang, or 
prepared indigo-leaf. \ Chains ‘of ‘gold, 
and collars of pearls, with various or- 
naments of precious stones, decorate the 
upper part of their persons, while solid 
bracelets of gold, in shapes resembling 
serpents, clasp their wrists and aneles. 
Silver and golden tissued mutslins, not 
only form \their ‘turbans, but frequently 
their undergarments,» Insummer, the 
ample pelisse is»made ofthe mast 
costly shawl; and, in cold weather, lined 
and‘ bordered) with) the -choicest,| furs. 
The dress is:altogetlier very becoming ; 
by‘its easy folds, and glittering, transpa- 
reney, shewing a fine: shape. to.advan- 
tage, without the immodest exposure of 
the open vest of the Persian ladies... The 
humbler females generally move abroad 
with faces totally unveiled, hayingy/a 
handkerchief rolled round) their beads, 
from beneath which ‘their’ hair hangs 
down over their shoulders; while another 
piece of linen passes ander their chin, in 
the fashion of the Georgians.|) Their 
garment is’) a gown of>a shift) form, 
reaching to’ their ankles, open before, 
and of a grey colour. ‘Their’ feet: are 
completely naked» Many of the very 
inferior classes. stain their bosoms) with 
the figures of circles, half.moons, stars, 
&e. ina bluish stamp. In this barbaric 
embellishment, the poor damsel of Trak 
Arabi has one point of vanity resembling 
that of the ladies of Irak Ajem. - The 
former frequently adds >this. frightfal 
cadaverous hue to her lips; and, to com= 
plete the savage appearance, thrusts'a 
ring through her right nostril, pendent 
with a flat button-like ornament, set 
round with blue or red stones. 
THE RUIN OF AKARKOUFF. 
I lost no time in making arrangements 
for visiting the eminence, called that; of 
Akarkouff, The late successes of the 
Arabs, having emboldened them to ad- 
vance in plundering parties, even to the 
walls of the city, it had: become dan- 
gerous to go to the smallest distance 
without a guard ; I therefore set. off on 
this my first expedition to explore: the 
colossal relics of these Titan regions, 
with an adequate escort, besides the 
good company of the two gentlemen 
attached to Mr. Rich’s mission: We 
erossed the bridge of the Tigris to its 
western shore; and again traversing that 
Jarge suburb, with the stiil more exten 
sive remains of old Bagdad beyond the 
walls, our party took a north: west direc- 
tion over the plain, towards the point of 
my present curiosity ; which lay at seve- 
ral miles’ distance. | The tract of coun- 
try we passed over this morning isregu- 
tarly overflowed by the waters of: the 
river ; and many spots were left not-yet 
dried ‘up, of an expanse wide enough to 
be called Jiitle Jakes. ‘The soil, conse- 
quently, even under neglect, is» very 
rich ; while the endless intersecting re- 
mains 
