SOCIAL STATE OF THE ARABS. 365 



out in the finest attire, perfumed with essences, and 

 every part of her body painted with figures of flowers, 

 trees, houses, antelopes and other animals. 



Instead of receiving a marriage-portion, the hus- 

 band pays for his wife, the sum varies according 

 to rank and circumstances. Among the Arabs of 

 Sinai it is from five to ten dollars ; but sometimes 

 thirty if the girl is handsome and well connected. At 

 Mecca the price paid for respectable maidens is from 

 40 to 300 dollars (8, 15s. to 65, 12s. 6d.); and on 

 the borders of Syria young men obtain their masters' 

 daughters by serving a number of years. Part of 

 the money only is paid down, the rest standing over 

 as a kind of debt, or as a security in case of divorce. 

 The price of a widow is never more than half, gene- 

 rally but a third, of what is paid for a virgin. 



The sacred tie of marriage has but a slender hold 

 on the Arabs, and may be dissolved on slight occa- 

 sions at the pleasure of the husband. This facility of 

 separation relaxes morality, though it reflects no dis- 

 honour on the woman or her family. She may be 

 repudiated three or four times, and yet free from any 

 stain or imputation on her character. It is not un- 

 common for a Bedouin before attaining the age of 

 forty or forty-five to have had fifty wives. If the 

 woman depart of her own accord she receives nothing, 

 and even forfeits the unpaid portion of her dowry ; 

 but if she is turned away without any valid reason 

 or proof of misconduct, she is entitled to a small sum 

 of money, a camel, a goat, a copper boiler and hand- 

 mill, with some other articles of kitchen furniture. 

 This operates as a check upon the evil, and makes the 

 customs in some degree correct the laws. The form 

 consists of two words, " Ent taleka !" (Thou art di- 



VOL. II. Z 



