Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1821-12-18

metal suspended from it, All the other
articles of fnery which she possessed
were displayed round the tent, whilst a
multitude of poor thin wretches, resem-
bling witches, sat round her in astonish-
ment, never having in their lives praised
God for blessing them with such sight.
| was received most graciously, and in
CURED OF i'll had ever seen such para
gon ofperiection. Like all other Arabs,
they touched whatever pleased them
most, one admiring this object, another
something near it, so that our poor belle
was sometimes poked by dozen fingers
al once; all, however, agreeing on one
point, that she was beautifully and ex-
cessiyely fat, and must say | never be-
fore beheld such rnonstrous mass Of
human flesh. One of her legs, of enor-
nous size, was uncovered as high as the
cali, and every one pressed it, admising
its solidity and rotnndiy--I 7,ss insi5ru
TO SIT close to iicr, when one of the first
questions she asked me was, il in my
country the ladies were as fat and hand
some as herself? For the plumpness Of
my COMMENCEMENT, owned, with shame,
that | never had seen one possessed of
half such an admirable fatncss, which she
took as a great compliment; but | did
not attempt to carry the comparison far
| Their, though she was really very hand
some in face and features. She amused
herself while speaking, with playing CD
Ia kind OF drum made OF clay, called
Derhooka, by beating with one hand, and
playing with the fingers Of the other
and parceivipg that was amused by il,
she ordered an old man to get up and
dance. The females sang aud clapped
their hands in good time, and the dancer
went through variety Of figures, all
equally indicate. A woman then sue
ceeded him, and in this respect quite
threw him in the Shade; but as | knew
it to be the general mode of dancing in
this part Of Barbafy, | of course applaud !
ed it. Lila Fatna herself then thought
proper to honorus with a few graceful
attitudes in the same STYLE; but Mr..
Ritchie's entrance into the tent soon put
a stop to The exhibition, and the ceremo-
ny OF yelling took place in the manner as
before"
The dress Of the women here differs
materially from that of the Moorish fe-
males, and their appearance and smell
are fer from being agreeable. They plat
their hair in thick bobbns, which hang
over their iorehcads nearly as low dowh-
as the eyebrows. ai,A are there joined I'll
the bottom, as far round to each side as
the temples. The hair is SO profuscly
oiled, that it drops down over the face
and clothes; this is dried up by sprink
ling it with plenty Of preparation made
of plant resembling wild lavender,
cloves, and one or two more spices,
pounded into powder and called africa
ii forms brown, dirty looking paste, and
combined with perspiration and the flying
sand, becomes in Jew days far from sa-
worry appearance or odour The black
hair is less disgusting, as i, is plated in
10 a long tress on each side, and is
3rougat TO hang over the shoulders
from these tresses ornaments of silver or
coral are appended. Black wool is tre-
quen.ly worked in with these black locks,
70 make them appear longer. In the
centre Of the forehead, all ornament OF
coral or beads is placed, hanging down
to the depth OF an inch OF two. A WOOL |
len handkerchief is fastened on the back
Of he head it falls over behind, and is !
tied by a leather strap under the chin.
Each car is perforated for as many rings
as tie woman possesses, some wear even
six on one side; the largest, which is |
about FIVE inches in diameter, hanging
lowest, supported by string from The
head. Round the neck, tight fiat col
lar of beads, arranged in fancy patterns,
is worn with coral necklaces, and some-
times broad gold plate Immediately in
front. A large blue shirt is generally
worn, the collar and breast ornamented
with neetile-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.
Some Of their songs abound with
poetical images; for example, a lover
will compare his mistress 10 young
date just ripened; the jetty hue of her
skin, TO the wing Of a raven; her teeth
to pearls; her eyes to the sun; and her
breath TO the altar of roses; her words
to musk; her voice to the erbab; and
her kisses to, honey, or sugar brought
from Egypt. The Arab songs are also
very pretty, and generally in the same
style. A young man once took much
pains to teach me one, composed, as he
said, by relation Of his own. He Sang