CHAP. IV. 
MORZOUK. 
171 
on the back of the head; it falls over behind, and is tied by a 
leather strap under the chin. Each ear is perforated for as many 
rings as the woman possesses, some wear even six on one side ; the 
largest, wliich is about five inches in diameter, hanging lowest, 
supported by a string from the head. Round the neck, a tight 
flat collar of beads, arranged in fancy patterns, is worn with coral 
necklaces, and sometimes a broad gold plate immediately in front. 
A large blue shirt is generally worn, the collar and breast orna- 
mented with needle- work : the women also wear white shirts, and 
striped silk ones called Shami, which are brought from Egypt ; — a 
Jereed and red slippers complete their dress. 
They generally have those wrappers of a darker colour than 
those of the men. Some of the better class of women wear trow- 
sers, not fuller in the leg than those worn in Europe ; they are very 
prettily embroidered with silk at the bottom of the leg, and form a 
handsome contrast to the black skin of the wearer. Cornelians or 
Agates, roughly shaped in the form of hearts, are much worn as 
necklaces, and they have a variety of rings for the thumbs and 
fingers. A band of silk cord hanging round the body from one 
shoulder is generally filled with pendent leather or cloth bags con- 
taining charms. Round the wrists and above the elbows, Armlets 
of silver, gold, glass, horn, or ivory, are worn according to the abihty 
of the wearer to purchase them ; and on the ankles they have 
silver, brass, copper, or iron shackles. I have seen a pair of silver 
ones, which weighed 128 ounces; but these ponderous ornaments 
produce a callous lump on the leg, and entirely deform the ankle. 
The poorest people have only the Jereed and sandals. Both men 
and women have a singular ^custom of stuffing their nostrils with a 
twisted leaf of onions or clover, which has a very disgusting appear- 
ance. The men, not using oil, are much cleaner than the women ; 
but the whole race of them, high and low, apparently clean or 
