cus manufacture drawn across, and fastened to the three middle posts.

The furniture comprises pack-saddles, as well as those for riding, large water-bags made of tanned camel-skins, goat-skins for milk and butter, the little bag into which the hair or wool is put that falls from the sheep and camels on the road, the leather bucket for drawing up water from deep wells, a copper pan, coffee-pot, mortar, hand-mill, wooden dishes, the horse's feeding bag, and the iron chain which fastens their forefeet while pasturing about the camp. The Arabs seldom allow their women to be seen; and when a stranger is introduced, the cry of tarik (or retire) warns them instantly to disappear. It is reckoned a breach of decorum to salute a lady, or even to look her steadfastly in the face.

The mode of encamping differs according to circumstances. When the tents are but few, they are pitched in a circle (dowar); if the number is considerable they extend in a straight line, perhaps along a rivulet, in rows three or four deep. The sheik's is always on the side where danger is apprehended, or where travellers are expected; it being his particular business to oppose the former and to honour the latter. Every chief sticks his lance into ground in front of his tent, to which he ties his horse or camel; the pack-saddles forming the couch on which he and his guests recline. When wandering in search of water or pasture, they move in parties slowly over the sandy plain. The armed horsemen ride foremost, as a reconnoitring detachment; the flocks with their young follow; behind come the beasts of burden, loaded with the women and children, tents, baggage, and provision.

The ordinary costume of the Bedouins is extremely simple, consisting of a coarse cotton shirt, over which is worn a thin, light, white woollen mantle (kombaz), or sometimes one of a coarser kind (the abba), striped white and brown. The wealthy sub

stitute for this a long gown of silk or cotton stuff. The mantles worn by the sheiks are interwoven with gold, and may be valued at 107. sterling. The common abba is without sleeves, resembling a sack, with openings for the head and arms, and requires so little art in the making that blind tailors earn their livelihood by this employment. Public taste, however, is occasionally more capricious, especially as to the headdress, which is often expensive, and in a hot country must be extremely inconvenient. A fashionable Arab will wear fifteen caps one above another, some of which are linen, but the greater part of thick cloth or cotton. That which covers the whole is richly embroidered with gold, and inwrought with texts or passages from the Koran. Over all there is wrapped a sash or large piece of muslin, with the ends hanging down, and ornamented with silk or gold fringes. This useless encumbrance is considered a mark of respect towards superiors. It is also used, as the beard was formerly in Europe, to indicate literary merit; and those who affect to be thought men of learning discover their pretensions by the size of their turbans. No part of oriental costume is so variable as this covering for the head. Niebuhr has given illustrations of forty-eight different ways of wearing it. The Bedouins use a keffie, or square kerchief of yellow or green cotton, with two corners hanging down on each side to protect them from the sun and wind, or to conceal their features if they wish to be unknown. A few rich sheiks wear shawls striped red and white, of Damascus or Bagdad manufacture. The Aenezes and some other tribes do not use drawers, which they consider as too effeminate for a man; and they usually walk and ride barefooted, though they have a particular esteem for yellow boots and red shoes.

In Mecca and other large towns the winter suit of the higher classes is the benish or upper cloak, and

the jubbe or under one,-both of cloth such as is worn in all parts of Turkey. The rest of their dress consists of a showy silk gown, tied with a thin Cashmere sash, a white muslin turban, and yellow slippers. In summer the benish is composed of a very slight silk stuff of Indian manufacture. Beneath the jubbe some wear a gown, called beden, of white muslin, without lining or sleeves, and very short. The Meccawees are remarkable for being cleanly and tasteful in their attire. On feast-days and other public occasions their finery is displayed in the highest degree. The common shopkeeper, who walks about the whole year in his short gown with a napkin round his loins, appears in a pink-coloured benish lined with satin, a gold-embroidered turban, rich silk sash, and jambea with its scabbard ornamented with gold and silver. His wives and children are decked in the gaudiest colours; but after the feast is over the fine suits are laid aside. At home in his dishabille, the citizen seats himself near his projecting latticed window, holding in one hand the long snake of his Persian hookah, and in the other a small square fan made of the chippings of date leaves, with which he drives away the flies. The women's dress is generally Indian silk gowns, and very large blue striped trousers reaching down to the ankles, embroidered below with silver thread. Over these they throw a sort of cloak called habra or mellaye, of black or striped silk, which covers the head, and has a graceful effect. The wealthy wear gold necklaces, bracelets, and silver ankle-rings, while the poorer classes have similar trinkets of horn, glass, or amber. A ring is sometimes passed through the cartilage of the nose, and hangs down upon the upperlip. The face is concealed with a white or lightblue piece of cloth called borko, in which there are two holes worked for the eyes, but so large that nearly the entire features may be seen. This piece of female vanity, according to Ali Bey, had better be

spared, as the illusion of hidden charms is completely dispelled when a sight is obtained of their lemon-coloured complexions, their hollow cheeks daubed all over with black or greenish-blue paint, their yellow teeth, and their lips stained of a reddish tile-colour. Though custom has reconciled them to these artificial means of heightening their beauty, their appearance is frightful and repulsive to strangers. It ought to be added, however, that in general they have fine eyes, regular noses, and handsome persons. The women at Loheia wear large veils, which conceal their faces so entirely that only one of their eyes can be seen. In the interior, females are less shy than in cities; they converse freely with strangers, and have their countenance quite uncovered. The Arabs of the Hauran use a coarse white cotton stuff for their kombaz or gown, and have their keffie tied with a rope of camel's hair.

In winter, the Bedouins throw over the shirt a pelisse made of sheep-skins stitched together. Many even in summer wear these skins, as they learn from experience that thick clothing is a defence from heat as well as cold. The dress of the women consists of a wide cotton gown of a dark colour, blue, brown, or black, and on their heads a kerchief. They go barefooted at all seasons, have the same affection for ornaments as their more polished rivals in the city, and employ similar arts to increase their beauty. Silver rings are much worn both in their ears and noses. Round their naked waists both sexes wear from infancy a leathern girdle, or cord, consisting of four or five thongs twisted together, which they adorn with amulets or pieces of riband. They all puncture their lips, and die them blue. Some of them also tattoo their cheeks, temples, forehead, breasts, arms, and ankles; and in these practices they are sometimes imitated by the men.