996 ANNUAL REGISTER. 1806. 
are still some small tribes of Be- 
douins in this country, who profess 
Christianity ; they are chiefly to be 
met with about Zuan and that neigh~ 
bourhood. f 
Among the ruins of Udena, are a 
great many deep wells, and in these 
the wild pigeons build their nests ; 
by throwing stones down the wells, 
the pigeons flew up, by which means 
we caught several, 
“While examining the ruins of 
Udena, the strange infatuation of 
the ignorant Bedouins, to prefer 
sowing their corn in the midst of 
ruins, struck my mind very forcibly 5 
these ruins being in a more perfect 
state than those of Carthage, there 
is, consequently, not so much arable 
land 5 but wherever they find a small 
patch amongst the ruins, they are 
ure to plough it. | I could not easily 
account for this strange notion of 
the Bedouins, because ir is certainly 
contrary to nature, {n the kingdom 
of Tunis, the quantity of corn de. 
pends entirely on the quantity of 
rain, and it cannot be supposed that 
water can lodge much amongst 
ruins, where the whole is under- 
mined ; it must of course drain off 
a!most as fast as it falls: it cannot 
do so upon a good solid ground, 
which will naturally imbibe the 
moisture, and retain it a considerable 
time. 
I imagined they might have some 
other inducement, more than the 
bare prospect of the crops of corn; 
and that was the prospect they had 
of finding treasure; was this their 
principal motive, they certainly 
would know how to turn whatever 
they found to a better account. A 
Bedouin will sell the most valuable 
antique to a Jew, fora caroob, (13d, 
English money) and the gold and 
Giver for much less than their 
® 
weight in the current cain of the 
country. I have very often enquired 
why they preferred ploughing 
amongst the ruins of ancient cities, 
but could never get a satizfactory 
answer. 
I have the honour to be, siz, 
Your most obedient servant, 
John Jackson. 
John Wilkinson, esq. M. D. F. R.S, 
and F. A. S. 
Some Remarks on the Ancient Cere- 
mony of the Feast of Fools, and on 
a Seulptured Girdle worn at its 
Celebration. By Francis Douce, 
Esq. F. A. S. 
Read May 10, 1804. 
During the early ages of Chris- 
tianity, when the minds of men were 
yet under the dominion of their pre- 
judices for the Pagan superstitions, 
it had become necessary on the part 
of those who held the reins of civil 
and ecclesiastical government, either 
to endure the practice of certain ce. 
remonies and amusements, to which 
the common people had beer 
long accustomed, or to substitute 
otuers in their stead, which bore at 
least some resemblance to them. 
One of the most ancient of the latter 
kind, and which appears to have 
been the greatest favourite, was that 
known by the name of the ‘¢ Feast 
of the Calends.” It had arisen out 
of the Roman Saturnalia, and re. 
sembled, in a great degree, the 
excesses of a modern carnival, 
Amidst various other absurdities men 
ran through the streets disguised as 
old women, and even as brute ani- 
mals, whence this ceremony has 
been sometimes distinguished by the 
names of ** Vetula,” and ‘* Cervu- 
la.” As it was attended by the 
3 commission 
