324 SOCIAL STATE OF THE ARABS. 



couple of his young friends, who carry her by force 

 to her father's tent. If she entertains any suspicion 

 of their designs she defends herself with stones, and 

 often inflicts wounds on the assailants though she 

 has no dislike to the lover; for the more she 

 struggles, bites, kicks, cries, and strikes, the more 

 she is applauded ever after by her own companions. 

 Sometimes she escapes to the neighbouring moun- 

 tains, and several days elapse before the bridegroom 

 can find her ; her female friends, meantime, being 

 apprized of her hiding-place, furnish her with pro- 

 visions. When brought to her father's tent she is 

 placed in the women's apartment, where one of the 

 young men immediately throws over her an abba in 

 the name of her future husband ; and this is often 

 the first time she learns who the person is to whom 

 she is betrothed. She is then dressed by her mo- 

 ther and female relations in her wedding-suit, which 

 is provided by the bridegroom ; and being mounted 

 on a camel ornamented with tassels and shreds of 

 cloth, she is conducted, still screaming and strug- 

 gling in the most unruly manner, three times round 

 the tent, while her companions utter loud exclama- 

 tions. If the husband belong to a distant camp the 

 women accx)mpany her ; and during the procession 

 decency obliges lier to cry and sob most bitterly. 

 These lamentations and struggles continue after 

 marriage ; and sometimes she repeats her flight to 

 the mountains, refusing to return until she is found 

 out, or is even far advanced in pregnancy. 



Marriages are generally solemnized on the Friday 

 evenings, and the contracts are drawn up by the 

 cadi ; if the bride be a widow or a divorced woman 

 it is attended with little ceremony or rejoicing. This 

 sort of connexion is always reckoned ill-omened ; 

 no resistance is made, — no feast takes place, — no 

 guest will eat of the nuptial bread ; for thirty days 

 the husband will not taste any provisions belonging 

 to his wife, and visiters when they come to drink 

 coffee bring their own cups, because to touch any 



