B A R B A It Y. 



267 



ttarbary. dies, arms, 8c c. These tents are generally arranged 

 ^ -v~ i in the form of a crescent or circle, and sometimes of 

 an oblong squa- . The flocks and herds are brought 

 at night into the area ; the entrance of the doiiar, 

 and the vacant spaces bet ween the tents, are then closed 

 up with bushes and thorns, as a defence against beasts 

 of prey ; while there is in every encampment an ad- 

 ditional guard of ferocious dogs, which bark with 

 great fury at the approach of strangers. In the cen- 

 tre of the douar there is generally a large empty tent, 

 which serves the purpose of a mosque, a school-house, 

 and a lodging for the traveller. The Berebbers have 

 habitations very similar to those of the Arabs ; but, 

 instead of tents, they frequently construct huts of 

 wicker work, daubed over with mud ; and a collec- 

 tion of these is called a Dash/era. 

 Eood. The inhabitants of Barbary- are remarkably abste- 



mious in their diet ; and can subsist upon a very small 

 quantity of the simplest nourishment. The lower 

 classes, especially among the Arabs, live chiefly upon 

 the roots of vegetables, wild fruits, and a mixture of 

 meal and water ; a iew balls of which, or a few dates, 

 and a draught of camel's milk, will often support 

 them, on a journey, for a whole day. The principal 

 dish among all ranks, from the prince to the peasant, 

 is cuscasoe, * a kind of granulated paste made of flour 

 very coarsely ground, heaped up in a vessel full of 

 6mall holes, placed above the pot, in which the vege- 

 tables or flesh meat is boiled, and in this manner 

 stewed by the rising vapour s It is then mixed with 

 soup, milk, butter, honey, spices, pot-herbs, or ani- 

 mal food. The more opulent persons have various 

 preparations of almonds, dates, sweet-meats, milk, 

 honey, and other delicacies ; and all ranks in Barba- 

 ry use a great proportion of bread, of which they 

 often make a meal, with the addition of a little oil, 

 vinegar, or milk. The Moore, agreeably to the Jew- 

 ish custom, cut the throats of all the animals, which 

 they use for food, at the same time turning their heads 

 towards Mecca in adoration of their prophet ; aud,after 

 suffering them to bleed freely, they carefully wash 

 away the remaining blood, and divide the meat into 

 small pieces about 2 lbs. in weight. The natives of 

 Barbary are very regular with respect to their hours 

 Time and of eating. They breakfast soon after day-break ; 

 manner of take a slight repast about noon ; and make their priu- 

 i-ating. c jpal meal at sun-set. At these seasons, a large, flat 

 earthen dish, full of the prepared food, is placed upon 

 a low, round tray, or merely set upon the floor. 

 Around this the family seat themselves, cross-legged, 

 upon mats ; and, having previously washed their 

 hands, they tear the meat with their fingers, and 

 form it along with the cuscasoe into little balls, 

 which they throw with a dexterous jerk into their 

 mouths. They make no use of knives and forks, and 

 very rarely even of spoons. The male part of the fa- 

 mily eat in one company ; the females in another ; and 

 the children, withthe servants, in the third. But among 

 the Arabs and Berebbers the master of the tent gene- 

 rally eats alone ; the dish then passes to the children ; 

 next, to the wives; and, lastly, to the domestics. 

 After eating they again wash their hands, mouth, and 



beard ; but sometimes content themselves with wiping Barbar*. 

 their fingers on their clothes, or in the woolly heads ' J " 

 of their negro slaves. It must he observed also, that, 

 before beginning a repast, and even before entering 

 upon any kind of work, they reverently utter the word 

 Iiismillah, that is, " in the name of God ;" and upon 

 concluding their meals, or completing any underta- 

 king, they say, in like manner, Alhandillak, that is, 

 " God be praised." 



One of the greatest luxuries among the Moors is Luxurifj.' 

 tea, which they greatly prefer to coffee ; but, as it 

 is a very scarce and expensive article in Barbary, it 

 is used only in the houses of the rich. In order to 

 prepare it for use, they put some green tea, a little 

 tansy, the same quantity of mint, and a large pro- 

 portion of sugar, into the pot, at the same time ; 

 and then fill it up with boiling water. After it has 

 been infused a proper length of time, it is poured 

 out into very small china cups, and taken without 

 milk. Of this refreshing beverage, they drink very 

 great quantities, whenever it is introduced, and con- 

 tinue slowly sipping- it with great relish, for the space 

 of two hours together. Besides using snuff, they 

 take much pleasure in smoking tobacco ; and, for 

 this purpose, they use a wooden tube about four feet 

 in length with an earthen bowl. They often mix 

 with the tobacco the cut leaves of the hashiska, or 

 African hemp plant, which produces a kind of sen- 

 sual stupor, and excites agreeable dreams. The kief, 

 which is the flower and seed of the hashiska, is still 

 more powerful in its effects ; and about one common 

 English tobacco pipe-full is sufficient to produce com- 

 plete intoxication. This they prefer to opium, wiine, 

 or brandy ; and so great is the infatuation of those who 

 use it, that they cannot exist without its]exhilarating or 

 rather stupifying influence. They have several other 

 plants of a similar quality ; among which the. nuts of 

 the palma christi hold a principal place, and hae 

 the remarkable effect of intoxicating a person for the 

 space of three or four hours, in such a manner, 

 that he completely opens his mind, and utters all his 

 thoughts. 



The Moors have in general rather a superabun- Dress. 

 dance of clothing, which very much conceals the 

 form of their persons ; but the fashion of their dress 

 is supposed to be very ancient, and bears a great re- 

 semblance to that of the patriarchs, as represented 

 in paintings. That of the men consists of a red cap, 

 or turban, and frequently of both, the latter being 

 wrapped round the bottom of the former, and ser- 

 ving often to distinguish the rank or profession of 

 the wearer, by the number and fashion of its folds ; 

 a pair of linen drawers, reaching to the ankle, over 

 which they sometimes wear another pair of woollen 

 cloth ; a linen, cotton, or gauze shirt, generally 

 hanging over the drawers, with large and loose 

 sleeves ; a vest, or tunic, called a caftan, resembling 

 an European great-coat, generally made of cotton in 

 summer, and of woollen in winter, sometimes with 

 and sometimes without sleeves, connected before with 

 very small buttons down to the bottom, and fastened 

 tight around the body with a sash ; a sash or girdle 



* Cuscavrwe, according to Shaw ; couscotaou, according to Abbi Poiret; atscvsmt, according to Lemprierc; cotscasoo, ac- 

 cording to Chenier ; and cuscasoe , according to Jackson. 



