242 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



of revenge. The basis of the Arab character is frauk and bold. His intellect is active, his 

 perceptive faculties acute, and his judgment sound. Vambery says, in contrasting the Arab 

 with the Turk, "The Turk is a man of religious sentiment only; the Arab is a religious 

 thinker." The jealous and fiery temperament of the Arabs has always been the source of feuds 

 among themselves. They are quick to resent any injury, and are extremely sensitive to the 

 slightest violation of established etiquette. Quarrels frequently arise which end in bloodshed. 

 Their code of law permits the shedding of blood to be atoned for by the payment of money 

 or property, otherwise the wild tribes would long ago have exterminated themselves. They 

 are kept back in the general march of progress by their want of organising power and 

 incapacity for combined action. 



Hospitality is a leading trait of the Arab character; it is regarded as a sacred duty. The 

 most lawless Arab never fails in his obligations as a host. The life and property of a 

 stranger are always safe under his roof. Nothing will excuse a breach of this duty when 

 a guest has once rested his hand on the tent-pole of a Bedouin or tasted his bread and salt. 

 The Arab is eminently polite. Even the fierce nomads Lave a code of etiquette which 

 they rigidly observe. " Peace be with you " is the usual salutation. In towns, where 

 manners are naturally more ceremonious, the ordinary morning greeting is, " May your day be 



white." That white is held to be 

 an emblem of good is further shown 

 by the customary answer, "May 

 yours be like milk." 



The national dress is simple but 

 picturesque. The under-garment is 

 a long white shirt. Over this comes 

 a close-fitting tunic of silk or cotton, 

 according to the means of the wearer. 

 It is generally of a striped material, 

 and is gathered in by a girdle of 

 raw leather. Then comes the abba, 

 or cloak of camel's hair, black or 

 with broad white bars, through which 

 the arms are thrust. Eed shoes are 

 worn, pointed and turned up at the 

 toes. The head-dress is peculiar, but 

 highly practical and comfortable. It 

 is made of a piece of cotton or silk, 

 some 4 feet square, with yellow or 

 red stripes, fringed on two sides. 

 This is doubled triangularly and 

 thrown over the head, so that the 

 two long ends hang down over the 

 shoulders, and the third hangs down 

 the back. Round the crown of the 

 head is wound a double wisp of brown 

 camel's hair, partially twisted. The 

 string round the temples is a pro- 

 tection against sunstroke, while the 

 eyes can be shaded by drawing the 

 ends of the cloth over them. The 

 dress of the town-dwelling Arabs and 



B >wn***o qfM t <r. Xwton & c o ., 3, Fleet strut, E.c of the South Arabian agriculturists 



PERSIAN LADY IN iNDoon COSTUME. consists, for men, of a blue shirt 



