SKETCHES OF PALESTINE. 357 



teristically different in the Aleppine, the Turkman, the native of 

 Mount Libanus, the Damascene, the inhabitant of the sea-coast from 

 Beirout to Acre, and the Bedouin. Dr. Richardson, on entering the 

 country from Egypt, was struck at the change of physiognomy, as 

 well as of costume, observable even at El Arish, which is in the 

 pashalic of Egypt : the people are much fairer, as well as cleaner 

 and better dressed. The Turks in Palestine, as elsewhere through- 

 out the empire, occupy all the civil and military posts, Greeks 

 forma very numerous part of the population. A considerable num- 

 ber of monks, of different churches and orders, stili reside in the 

 Holy Land : there is, indeed, scarcely a town of any consequence, 

 which does not contain at least one convent. The country districts 

 are, to a great extent, filled witn nomadic Arabs. The true Arab 

 is always an inhabitant of the desert ; a name given to any solitude, 

 whetfier barren or fertile, and sometimes applied to extensive pas- 

 ture-lands. The moveables of a whole family seldom exceed a 

 camel's load. Nothing can be simpler in construction than their 

 tents. Three upright sticks, driven into the ground, with one laid 

 across the top, form the frame- work, ami a large brown cloth, made 

 of goat's or camel's hair, woven by their women, the covering. 

 The manner in which they secure their animals is equally simple. 

 Two sticks are driven into the ground, between which a rope is 

 stretched and fastened at each end ; to this rope the asses and mules 

 are all attached by the feet ; the horses also, but apart from the ass- 

 es; the camels are seldom secured at all. The dress of this peo- 

 ple in the Holy Land consists of a blue shirt or tunic, descending 

 below the knees, the legs and feet being exposed : or the latter are 

 sometimes covered with the ancient cothurnus or buskin. Over this 

 is worn a cloak of very coarse and heavy camel's hair cloth, (the 

 sackcloth of the Scriptures,) consisting of one square piece, with 

 holes for the arms, but having a seam down the back. This ap- 

 pears to have been the dress of John the Baptist, as well as of the 

 ancient prophets. The cloak (or hyke) is almost universally deco- 

 rated with black and white stripes, passing vertically down the back. 

 The head-dress is a small turban, resembling a coarse handkerchief 

 bound across the temples, one corner of which generally hangs 

 down, and is often fringed with strings in knots, by way of orna- 

 ment. The usual weapons of the Arab are a lance, a poniard, an 

 iron mace, a battle-axe, and sometimes, a matchlock gun. The u- 

 sual veil worn by all the females in Syria, except the Jewesses, is 

 a large white handkerchief or shawl, which covers the head and 

 face, and falls over the shoulders. It is astonishing, remarks Dr. 

 Richardson, what a light and cheerful air this costume imparts com- 

 pared with the dull funeral drapery of the Egyptian dames. In the 

 dress of the pastoral Arabs, we probably have preserved the most 

 faithful representation of the ancient Jewish costume. The usual 

 size of the hyke is six yards long, and from five to six broad ; and 

 as the Arabs sleep in their raiment, as the Israelites did of old, it 

 serves as a bed or blanket at night. The toga of the Romans, and 



