326 SOCIAL STATE OF THE ARABS. 



rect the laws. The form consists of two words, 

 " Ent taleka /" (Thou art divorced) : when once pro- 

 nounced it cannot be revoked ; but it does not pre- 

 vent the man from again marrying- the same person, 

 though she may in the interval have had several 

 other husbands. Many instances occur of conjugal 

 fidelity ; and a Bedouin has been known in a fit of 

 distraction to commit suicide on seeing his wife give 

 her hand to a second bridegroom. 



The law also allows females a kind of divorce. If 

 ill used, or not happy, they may fly for refuge to their 

 father's tent, and their husbands have no right to 

 reclaim them. The extreme jealousy of the Arabs 

 leads them to speak but seldom or indirectly on this 

 subject ; and instead of saying " my wife" or " my 

 daughters," they say " my house," and " those at 

 home." In domestic quarrels the loquacity of the 

 spouse very often triumphs over the just cause of 

 her partner ; and rather than see himself overpow- 

 ered by so contemptible an instrument, and exposed 

 to ridicule in the presence of his neighbours, he pro- 

 nounces in a moment of irritation the fatal " Ent 

 taleka !" which is always applauded by the specta- 

 tors. These broils are the most frequent cause of 

 divorces, which are perhaps to be ascribed rather to 

 the unruly temper of these wild sons of the desert 

 than to any want of conjugal feeling. 



Children are brought up in the most hardy man- 

 ner ; the name is given immediately on their birth, 

 and at the age of six or seven the boys undergo the 

 ceremony of circumcision. This is always cele- 

 brated with feasting and rejoicing ; and it is gene 

 rally arranged by those who have families in a camp 

 that the operation shall take place on the same day. 

 On these occasions the boys are dressed in the rich- 

 est stuffs, set upon fine horses highly adorned, and 

 are carried in public procession with drums beating 

 before them ; the men exhibit equestrian feats and 

 warlike evolutions : the common people have sham 



