In the Land of Mosques & Minarets by M. F. Mansfield

Chapter 9 SOME THINGS THAT MATTER-TO THE ARAB

Word Count: 4273 | Released on: 01/12/2017

ter of the Prophet; the noblesse militaire, descendants of the Arab conquerors, of which Mohammed and his family are also descended; and finally the no

implicitly the sub-head or Cheikh (sheik). The head of a douar,-a group of tents,-if the collection is not grea

tion is the real head of the Arabs in Algeria, and the Tun

an) are made known to the Ca?d by the authorities, and it is he who is held responsible for their observance. As for punishment for a crime committed,-for they are not a

from the Apocryphal books of the Prophet. They have a saying which

nsab and El-Aglane are th

d El-Aglane is the argument by sword instead of by reason. The following might well be print

r received a single benefit from you, all the

who show pride befo

iles to reconcile a pair of quarrelle

aults of your neighbours

thee first is

dirtiness a

th great regularity and devotion, but by contrast, curiously

events that can happen to an

ess which makes

hich dissipates

agrin which des

, who cannot slip on and off the pe

ntion from wine by an act of

ve the benediction of God." At the end of a brief interval the Prophet, passing that way again, saw them disputing among themselves, and learned that one

nking white wine, and indeed they have a great fondness for champagne,-but they are not particular about the brand, the label on the bottle means no

of life, even to-day, as in olden times, makes

ktir, ati

lil, ati me

much, give

ittle, give fr

ct age, frequently reckoning only by some great event which may have happened within their memories, like the "Uncle Toms" and

head men know it. They share this belief with other Orientals; but there is no proof that they have learned their lessons as well as did Garner in his attempts to acquire "monkey talk." The Arabs, t

ince they have come to learn that you carry away with you no actual

qualities, or he is déclassé in

ourage o

nstaking of

heart o

squeness of

tricks

udence of

swiftness

resignatio

hand alw

rawn, and one sole sp

es France, has disappeared, but his p

e Turk and the Persian is notably a tyrant in his home; and, among the Arabs, the Bedouin is frequently a brute towards his wives and daugh

a?tre du monde, une f

ents to his father's tribe; but the daughter, arriving at the marrying age, which comes early with the Arabs, leaves no

s interests, whilst the daughter goes to augment those who m

s, the birth of a son brings real joy to the parental roof-tree; but that

e you a good gift!" If it is a girl: "May you be as happy as possible!" is considered as all that is needful, a sort of

differ in one case from the other, for the Arab believes profoundly in Mohammed's di

ll of the guellal and the flute make things hideous for one who has no special responsibility bound up in the event. The men, too, give themselves over to the dance quite as vigorously and quite as gracefully as do the women, and a f

aughter, the Arab parents, almost withou

(the

(dimi

(the

ddo

a (th

Kadra (th

em (

a (th

(the

(the pr

(the

(the f

ears of its life, and is obliged to spend a relatively large sum of money in supplying a baptismal present, as do godmothers

parents are rich their children are often rudely sent away to be nourished and given strength beneath the shade of some Saharan oasis, not too far away but that they can be vi

ne too clean-looking woollen cloth during the first few months, and at night is securely stowed awa

en the child, and as early as possible it is told or shown how to take

her parents; her ears are pierced in two or three places, but as n

famille among the Arabs of the countryside, with ho

e religion of its parents. Each prayer is preceded by an abluti

or Paris mode about this to make it difficult; any one who can handle a pair of scissors can do the thing), to sew a tent-c

she begins to "take notice" of the youth of the other sex, meanwhile partaking of the fare of the family board only when there are no strangers present. During visits to frien

of the "G

covered. Music is a part of the early education of the Arab girl. She learns to dance, yatagan in hand; and to pla

; and, finally, colours the tips of her toes and fingers a coppery red with henna. She has her wrists and ankles tattooed in bands or bracelets;

ought up in the greatest purity of atmosphere. Should there be any doubts as to this, her spouse, even on the marriage day, will send her back to her parents dressed i

ey marry between ten and fifteen. Indeed they must marry at an early age or people say unkind things about them. In th

rning women are many an

spouse a heavy burden, but a ha

of his chosen typ

the feathers o

and eyebrows t

k like a

ht and fine

e bouquets

mall an

pearls se

d coloured li

hite a

ders

nd feet

s agre

er del

er husband or neighbours, have a well-governed tongue, may rou

paragon of a woman, you become crazy, and if she leaves you, you will die. All of

and lands, who met a certain Oumya-bent-Abdallah, and would marry her, so beautiful was she

eaves a passage through the ranks of the foe. He is taciturn and sober and knows well how to take adversity." This seems a good enough send-off for a proxy to give

the swain. It's not a bad plan! A contract follows, and finally legal sanction. Every Mussulman marriage must have the consideration of the dot as a part of the legal agreement. The dot may vary wit

of the "Great Tents" whom we heard of at Jouggourt gave up the following: Three camels, fifty sheep, eighteen skins, three bolts of cotton cloth (made in Manchester-the "Manchester goods" of commerce as it is known in the near and far East); a gun (a Remington so-called, most likely made in Be

e-routes and the cities, they closely enwrap the face so that only a pair of glittering black eyes peep out. Without regard to class d

in a legal way, and is simply and expeditiously brought about. The

d'une éclatante beauté." "Well, what is it?" said the Cadi, scenting in the affair a big fee, at least big for him. Th

ho has beaten me and nearly broke

mean to do it, I am sorry; I ought not to be

e' her" said the man; "I

then, to her fami

ible, it is four thousand

r the lady of the striking beauty rising. He had just lost his fou

sum," said he, "will you

ngly," said

money," said the ac

ma, Zohra, Aicha, Houria, Mami, Mimi, Roza, Ourida, Kheira, etc.; and they leave the bed and board of their parents usually between the ages of twelve and fourteen to be married, or for other reasons. Practically all the world looks upon the Mauresques as social outcasts. The class had become so numerous

recognizes them plainly as of the world worldly whenever they take their walks abroad. The sad amusement of visiting mosques and

r daily promenades on the fine suburban roads of Algiers, in company with the haute société of the city, and the thronging American, English and German tourists from Mustapha. She even dine

s so well hidden that one does not realize its cumbersomeness. At home she wears the seraglio "pantalon" of the Arabian Nights, ankles bare and feet stuffed into babouches-which an Indian or a plainsman would call moccasins. Over all is the r'

ns, is not greatly different from our own. The Arab year has twelve lunar months

em 30

el ou

el ta

el oue

et tan

ban

dan

ual

el Ka

Hadja

ng E