ABABIAJ* HOESE.] 



THE HOUSE, AND 



[ababian nOBSE. 



covered by a Tialas. The most necessary uten- 

 sils for cooking are striking addenda to the 

 Btoek of their household " goods and chattels." 

 These generally consist of a pot, of metal ; a 

 large metal or wooden plate ; a cup, of zinc or 

 wood, out of which they all drink without 

 being cleaned ; a coffee-pot of copper, and a 

 cask fabricated of camel-skins. 



Simplicity in everything is one of the grand 

 characteristics of these nomades. In point of 

 dress, the men wear a long wide shirt until it ac- 

 tually becomes rotten ; nor do they ever take it 

 off except at night, when they lie on it, only 

 covered by a mechlas of coarse wool. They 

 also go about barefooted. The Anaze's Arabs, 

 however, display a little more taste. They 

 never leave their tents unarmed; and their 

 weapons consist of a sword, a gun, and a 

 lance; with axes, or other offensive weapons 

 with which they may defend themselves, or 

 destroy those upon whom they make war. 



The women are habited in a long shift of blue 

 linen. They also draw a black veil to a knot 

 under the nose, and let it fall gently over their 

 bodies. This veil they often arrange in such a 

 manner as to show a large ring drawn through 

 the right nostril, and fastened with a chain to 

 the temple. They are fond of exhibiting their 

 lips, painted of a blue colour; and they have 

 many figures eii;;;raved on the chin, cheek, 

 nose, and neck. They never leave their tents 

 uncovered. In height they are above the 

 middle stature — walking nobly and gracefully, 

 with beautiful black eyes, which they have 

 the art of making appear larger than they 

 really are by painting the eyelids : their noses 

 are well formed ; but the other features of 

 their countenances are often disfigured by many 

 different marks. Their hands and arms are 

 always handsome ; but their feet are rather 

 broad, never having been compressed by shoes. 

 The children run about naked, the boys 

 wearing only a tightly laced girdle of leather 

 round their loins. The reason assigned for 

 this custom is, that it makes them strong, 

 enables them to run fast, and, by compressing 



very hardy ; capable of fighting for a whole 

 day; suffering no injury, though constantly 

 exposed to the excessive heat of an almost 

 vertical sun, whilst engaged in exercising with 

 the lance, or wrestling with each other. 



The women attend to the duties of the 

 household, and occupy themselves with weaving 

 and spinning. The affairs of the cuisine do 

 not take up much of their time ; for although 

 the Arabian is voracious, if an opportunity 

 offer for him to gratify himself with some- 

 thing that he likes, he rarely exceeds a pilau 

 of red rice with melted butter. To this, which 

 usually serves for dinner, sour milk, dates, 

 lioney, duphte, &c., are, now and then, added. 

 The women are obliged to grind the corn, 

 which they do by means of a rude species of 

 primitive haud-mill. The bread is baked in 

 flat cakes upon iron plates. The women fetch 

 the water, which is to be procured only at 

 times, and often at a great distance from their 

 tents. So far as cleanliness is concerned in 

 reference to their clothing, both sexes are alike 

 indifferent, generally to a disgusting extent. 



In a religious point of view, though ex- 

 cessively superstitious, they are much less 

 devout than the Osmanlis. Many, however, 

 observe the Eamadan ; and they pray in com- 

 pany, ranged in one line, with a priest at their 

 head, who has a peculiar pride in converting 

 "the human face divine" into something as 

 hideous as possible. Their wealth consists of 

 camels and horses ; of a few herds of sheep 

 and goats, which yield them milk and butter ; 

 they also use camel's milk, but have no cows. 

 The number of camels is generally very con- 

 siderable — many possessing ten, twenty, and 

 upwards ; and the Cheick sometimes owns as 

 many as 300, of which he annually sells a 

 considerable number to the Turcomans, who, 

 it is said, have been known to purchase about 

 2,000, at the rate of 200, and 250 Turkish 

 piasters a-piece, from different Cheicks in the 

 desert. The evening return of the camels to 

 the camp affords a singular sight to a Euro- 

 pean. From 5,000 to G,000 of these camp 

 I attendants, followed by their young ones, 



the stomach, does not allow them to eat so j 

 much as they would otherwise do, if nature gambol along the barren ground like goats; 

 were left to enjoy the freedom of her own j and their clumsy forms partake largely of the 

 conditions. The men also wear this belt. The I ludicrous when they endeavour to cast off 

 children are all usually finely made, none of their usual gravity, and begin to frisk about 

 them being hardly ever deformed. All are ! with all the wantonness of a young gazelle. 

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