SOCIAL STATE OF THE ARABS. 329 



is sacred, and he may trust the fidelity of his enter- 

 tainer the moment he has eaten bread and salt under 

 his roof. An Arab considers no emergency so ur- 

 gent or embarrassing as to palliate the neglect, much 

 less the violation, of that social virtue. He has 

 been heard to declare, that if his enemy should pre- 

 sent himself at the door of his tent carrying the 

 head of his own son, it would not exclude him from a 

 hospitable reception. 



These generous dispositions have been subjected 

 to certain regulations ; and it cannot be denied that 

 in some instances they proceed less from goodness 

 of heart than from vanity or the fear of reproach ; 

 for the greatest insult that can be offered to a Be- 

 douin is to tell him that he does not treat his guests 

 well. The hours of hospitality are numbered, — 

 three days and eight hours are the term, after which 

 a stranger ceases to be a ward, and becomes a sim- 

 ple visiter. He is not dismissed ; but if he prolong 

 his stay he is expected to assist in the domestic 

 business of the tent— in fetching water, milking the 

 camel, or feeding the horse. Should he decline 

 these menial offices he may still remain, but he will 

 be censured for ingratitude ; or he may go to an- 

 other tent, where he will receive a fresh welcome ; 

 and if he has a distant journey to perform, he may, 

 by changing his residence every third or fourth day, 

 be comfortably entertained until he reach his des- 

 tination. 



It is a received custom inevery part of the Desert, 

 that a woman may entertain strangers in the ab- 

 sence of her husband ; when this is not permitted, 

 some male relation does the honours of the table. 

 In certain parts of Nejed, a guest is welcomed by 

 pouring on his head a cup of melted butter. Among 

 the Azir tribes a practice exists not very consist- 

 ent with our ideas of female honour : when a 

 stranger arrives, he is required to be the companion 

 of his hostess for the night, whatever be her age or 



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