328 SOCIAL STATE OF THE ARABS. 



and superfluous compliments a Bedouin would con- 

 sider at once ridiculous and ill-bred. They attach 

 no indelicacy to the disgusting practice of eructa- 

 tion after meals ; but they are shocked beyond mea- 

 sure at an involuntary accident which is the natural 

 consequence of indigestion on certain articles of diet. 

 An habitual offender in this way is deemed unwor- 

 thy of being admitted as a witness before the cadi ; 

 and some for this reason have been obliged to betake 

 themselves to voluntary banishment. In towns 

 there is a greater ostentation of politeness : — " Wel- 

 come !" says the obsequious shopkeeper of Mecca 

 to his foreign customer ; " a thousand times wel- 

 come ! you are the guest of the holy city ; my whole 

 property is at your disposal !" In Yemen, persons 

 who value themselves on their good breeding use 

 many compliments. In ordinary visits pipes and 

 coffee are always presented. Sometimes the beards 

 and clothes of the guests are sprinkled with rose- 

 water and perfumes. Men salute each other by 

 kissing the beard or hand, and women by kissing the 

 forehead, chin, and both cheeks. Even in quarrel- 

 ling among themselves the Arabs do not use the ill 

 names and scurrilous language so frequently heard 

 in the mouths of more polished nations. 



Hospitality, the ancient and hereditary virtue of 

 the nation, is still exercised in all its primitive 

 cordiality. A hungry Bedouin always divides his 

 scanty meal with a still more hungry wanderer. If 

 a stranger be seeft coming from afar towards the 

 camp, he is reckoned the guest of the first person 

 that descries him ; and for this honour there is often 

 a generous rivalry which leads to serious alterca- 

 tions. When he alights, the friendly carpet and the 

 ready meal are spread for him. So long as he re- 

 mains his life and property are perfectly secure ; 

 and should a robbery occur, the host, if he possess 

 the means, will indemnify him for whatever loss he 

 may sustain while under his protection. His person 



