32 
BARCAKS. 
freaks of the dancers, or the sabject of the singers’ madri als. But 
no respite is given to th'e entertainers; and, during so long a stretch 
of merriment, should any of the happy guests feel a sudden desire 
for temporary repose, without the least apology she lies down to 
sleep on the luxurious carpet that is her seat ; and thus she remains, 
sunk in as deep an oblivion as if the nummud were spread in her own 
chamber. Others speedily follow her example, sleeping as sound ; 
notwithstanding the bawling of the singers, the horrid jangling of 
the guitars, the tliumping on the jar-like double-drum, the ringing 
and loud clangour of the metal bells and castanets of the dancers, 
W'ith an eternal talking in all keys, abrupt laughter, and vociferous 
expressions of gratification, making in all a full concert of distract- 
ing sounds, sufficient, one might suppose, to awaken the'dead. But 
the merry tumult and joyful strains of this conviviality gradually 
become fainter and fainter; first one and then another of the visitors 
(w'hile even the performers are not spared by the soporific god) sink 
dow'n under the drow'sy influence; till, at length, the whole carpet is 
covered with the sleeping beauties, mixed indiscriminately with hand- 
maids, dancers, and musicians, as fast asleep as themselves. 
The business, however, is not thus quietly ended. “As soon as 
the sun begihs to call forth the blushes of the morn, by lifting the 
veil that shades her slumbering eyelids,” the faithful slaves rub their 
own clear of any lurking drowsiness, and then tug their respective 
mistresses by the toe or the shoulder, to rouse them up to perform 
the devotional ablutions usual at the dawn of day. All start 
mechanically, as if touched by a spell ; and then commences the 
splashing of water, and the muttering of prayers ; presenting a 
singular contrast to the vivacious scene of a few hours before. This 
duty over, the fair devotees shake tlieir feathers like birds from a 
refreshing shower; and tripping lightly forward with garments, and 
perhaps looks, a little the worse for the wear of the preceding even- 
ing, plunge at once again into ^ all the depths of its amusements. 
Coffee, sweetmeats, kaliouns, as before, accompany every obstre- 
perous repetition of the midnight song and dance ; and ail being fol- 
lowed up by a plentiful breakfast of rice, meats, fruits, &c., towards 
noon the party separate ; after having spent between fifteen and six- 
teen hours in this riotous festivity. 
Barcans. 
The Barcans are the natives of Barca, a country of Africa. The 
inhabitants of the maritime towns are more civilized than those that 
dwell in the inland parts. The first profess Mahometanism, and 
have imbibed some notions of humanity and justice ; w'hilst the lat- 
ter, who have no sign of worshij) among them, are altogether savage 
and brutish. They are a sort of Arabs, and, like them, live entirely 
upon plunder. By them, this tract, which before was a continued 
desart, w'as first inhabited. At their first coming in, they settled in 
one of the best places of the country; hut as they multiplied, and 
had frequent wars w ith one another, the .strongest drove the weakest 
out of the best spots, and sent them to wander in the desart parts. 
