188 CHARACTER, MANNERS, AND CUSTOMS 



healthy set of teeth, they had only to take a cast 

 tooth, and holding it between the forefinger and 

 thumb, throAV it towards the sun, with a brief peti- 

 tion to the gods to substitute a better. When pus- 

 tules appeared on the lips or . face, the person 

 afflicted went a-begging from house to house, crying 

 aljeba, with a sieve on his head, into which were 

 thrown crusts or fragments of meat ; and on these 

 being distributed among the dogs the disease was 

 supposed to vanish. A traveller, if he dreaded the 

 plague, before entering a city, brayed at the gate 

 ten times in imitation of an ass ; and this was the 

 charm he used against infection. To cure the sting 

 of a scorpion, the patient was wrapped for seven days 

 in a woman's garment, with her bracelets and ear- 

 rings hung above him ; during which time he was 

 kept awake by loud and incessant noise. A suspi- 

 cious husband, before setting out on a journey, used 

 to cast a knot secretly on a stalk of broom ; if he 

 found it tied on his return, he inferred his wife had 

 been faithful ; if loose, that he had been dishon- 

 oured. On the death of a husband, the widow left the 

 tent, clothed herself in a mean dress, using neither 

 aromatics nor ornaments for a whole year. She 

 was permitted to touch no animal but a dead ass, a 

 sheep, or a fowl. At the end of the year her weeds 

 of sorrow were thrown aside, and the use of her 

 ointments and perfumes resumed. It was the prac- 

 tice to leave the favourite camel to starve at the 

 grave of its master, with its head fastened to its tail, 

 and covered with his cloak, that the defunct at the 

 resurrection might not be obliged to travel on foot 

 in the other world. If the animal made its escape it 

 was held sacred, and allowed water and pasture free. 

 The women never mourned the slain until their 

 death was avenged, but their lamentations began 

 the moment expiation was made. Before due ven- 

 geance was obtained, an owl or some ominous bird 



