1S93.] H. S. Jarrett — Customs among the Bedouins of the Haurdn. 79 



than half a mudd l which is equivalent to a weight of five thousand 

 sis hundred dirhams. 



This dish is set in the midst before the guests, and about two 

 thousand dirhams weight 2 of cold clarified butter is brought and placed 

 in the dish over the burghul. One of the relations of the master of the 

 house then comes forward with a ewer of cold water in his hand and 

 lightly washes the hand of each of the guests. The master of the house 

 then turns to his guests and says to them, " Welcome to what has 

 been provided," that is, " partake of the meal." Theyreply, " Wewillnot 

 eat of thy food unless thou give her to us," upon which, if he desires to 

 give his daughter in marriage to their son, he rejoins, " Be pleased to 

 eat your meal and it shall be as you wish." They then proceed to eat 

 with their hands, using neither spoon nor bread. Some of their habits 

 in eating are curious : for example a man will take as much meal and 

 flesh-meat as the hand can grasp, probably more than sixty dirhams 

 weight, and shape it into the form of a ball, and put it into his month 

 without touching it with his other. hand or masticating it, and catching 

 it upon his tongue, at one mouthful swallow it whole. 3 When 

 they are satisfied, they wipe their hands on the side of the tent 

 and they clean whatever remains of grease there may be left, upon their 

 beards. They then return to their seats and take coffee a second 

 time. The father of the youth then turns to the girl's father 

 who 4 says: — "Be happy, she is thine." On this the former asks 

 what dower he demands for her. The girl's father answers, " I must 



1 There is a discrepancy in these weights. If the mudd be calculated at the 

 ordinary dry measure of 1J to 2 rills, half a mudd would be ridiculously little to 

 place on a large dish before hungry Arabs. Taking the equivalent calculation 

 of 5,600 dirhams, at 66| to an ounce, it would give exactly seven rifls or pounds of 

 twelve ounces, which is perhaps a sufficient meal. Or taking 40 dirhams to the 

 oz, the ancient weight, this would give 11| as representing 5,600 dirhams. The 

 mudd must therefore be an error in the text. In Syria and Egypt at the present 

 day, 12 mudds are equal to 6| kilogrammes, which would make a mudd — 1'2 of an 

 English pound avoirdupois. 



a Two and a half ritls or pounds of 12 oz., but the ritl varies somewhat. 

 v. Lane. "Mod. Egypt.," p. 572. 



S This manner of eating is at least as old as the ' Arabian Nights.' " Jawan the 

 Kurdee stretched forth his hand to the dish, and it resembled the foot of a raven ; 

 and he ladled the rice with it, and took it forth resembling the foot of a camel. 

 Then- he compressed the handful into the form of a ball, so that it was like a 

 great orange : he threw it rapidly into his mouth and it descended into his throat 

 making a noise like thunder." — " Story of 'Ali Sher and Zumurrnd." Lane. II. 413. 



4 The grammatical construction is here faulty. Either the positions of the 

 fathers of the youth and girl must be inverted in the sontence or the relative 

 pronoun introduced to give the sense of the passage. 

 J. III. 11 



