202 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



descent from the Prophet. They have the face, eyes, and aquiline nose 

 of the Bedouins ; the countenance is very handsome, but more fleshy than 

 that of the latter people. The lower ranks of Mecca, generally, are very 

 strong and muscular ; the higher classes, on the contrary, are of slender, 

 fleshless figure ; and similar in this respect are also the inhabitants deriving 

 their origin from Yemen or India. The dress of the higher ranks consists, 

 in winter, of a cloth henish, or overcoat, and a dshubbe, or under garment, 

 likewise of cloth, and cut like those worn in all parts of the Ottoman 

 Empire. A long, glistening, silk coat, bound with a thin Cashmere sash, 

 a white muslin turban, and yellow slippers, constitute the remainder of the 

 dress. In summer, a benish of India silk stuffs is worn. People of the 

 highest ranks, who wear the Turkish costume, have red caps from Barbary 

 under the turban. Those worn by the other classes are of linen, richly 

 embroidered with silk, the work of the women, and usually given as pre- 

 sents to their lovers. The long coats of well dressed persons of the middle 

 rank are generally of white India muslin, without lining ; they are called 

 beden, and differ from the common Levantine anteri, which is very short, 

 without sleeves, and hence much cooler. Over the beden a dshubbe of 

 light cloth or India silk is worn, which in hot weather is hung loosely over 

 the shoulders. The under shirts are of India silk, or Egyptian or Arabian 

 linen. In summer, the lower ranks w^ear only a shirt, and around it a 

 piece of nankeen instead of pantaloons ; in winter, a striped beden of India 

 chintz, without a girdle. The middle and lower classes use sandals, those 

 coming from Yemen being the best. In summer, many have mere caps, 

 without the turban. The latter usually consists of cambric or muslin ; 

 each class having a mode of winding it round the head pecuhar to itself. 

 The Ulema, or learned body, allow the end to fall down in a small 

 fold to the middle of the cheeks. In some parts of the country, men of 

 rank wear red hats, shaped like the round hats of Europeans. The women 

 of Mecca and Dshidda are dressed in India silk frocks, and very long blue 

 striped trowsers, reaching to the ankles, embroidered at the bottom with 

 silver thread. Over these they wear a wide frock, called habra, of black 

 silk stuflf*, customary also in Syria and Egypt, or a blue and white striped 

 mellay. The face is concealed by a white or blue borks ; upon the head 

 covered with the mellay, they wear a cap, around which a piece of colored 

 muslin is wound in tight folds. The head-dress is encircled and orna- 

 mented by a row of gold coins. Many wear golden necklaces and armlets, 

 and rings of silver around the ankles. The people of Mecca are princi- 

 pally engaged in commerce. 



The Bedouins (Bedovi, or Bedauvi, signifying in Arabic " vagrants," or 

 "inhabitants of the desert") have sprung from Arabia, and are spread over 

 the southwestern part of Asia and northern Africa. Since the earliest 

 times they have remained almost entirely unchanged, and hence are proud 

 of the purity of their blood and their steadfastly maintained liberty. 

 The doctrines of Islam have made but little alteration in their customs. 

 All of them are very indifferent professors of this faith, and those inhabiting 

 the interior of the desert scarcely know the name of Mohammed. They 

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