Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-12-31
IA 1scEEzAux.

day, by the vile n daughter OF an
Arab chief of the vicinity, to pass the
day at their baths this is the diver
sion in which oriental women chiefly
indulge. A bath is ANNOUNCED a fort.
night beforehand, as a ball would be
in Europe. ! subjoin the description
| of this fete, such as my wife gave il to
us this night on her return.
The bathing apartments arc a pub
lie place, the approach of which is in
terdictcd 10 men on every day until a
certain hour, in order that women
alone may have the free range ofthem
but when it i"sintended to be a brides
bath, such as the one in question, men
tare excluded throughout the day. A
flint light is admitted into the apart
ments By mean of small domes with
painted windows. They are paved
with marble, shaped into compartments
ofvaried colours, and inlaid with con-
siderable skill. The walls are also
lined with marble in the form Of mosa-
les, or s~culptured with Moorish mould
inqs, or small columns. A graduated
heat prevades these apartments the
first one has the temperature OF the
ternal air; the second is tepid, the
others are warmer III succession, until
the last-when the vapor of the almost
boiling water rises from the basin, and
oppresses the air with its oyerpower-
ing heat. In general there are no ba-
sins scooped in the centre of the apart
ments, but merely spouts, through
which water to the depth of half an
inch, is constantly flowing upon the
marble floor, running of through stone
cutters, and necessarily renewed
What is called a bath in the east, is
not a complete immersion, but success
sive aspersions Of a greater or less
warmth, and the impressions OF yapor
upon the SKIN. :
Two hundred females of the town Of
Baifcut, and of the neighborhood, were
on that day invited to the bath, and
amongst them many young Europeans;
each one arrived wrapt up In an mn
mense sheet OF white linen, which con
pletelv c%onceals the superb costume OF
The women when they issue FORTH
They were all accompanied by their
black slaves or free servants; accord
inelv as they arrived, they formed into
groups, or sat down upon mats and
cushions prepared in the outer hall
| their suite removed the sheets which
envelopcd them, and they then appear,
ed in all the rich and picturesque brll-
liancv of their dress and jewels. These
costumes are highly varied in the CO.
lonr of the stuiis and the splendor OF
the Jewels; but they are altogether
shapeless.
The dress consists in broad folded
~pantaloons of striped satin, secured at
the waist by a tissue of red silk, and
drawn in above the ANGLE by a gold or
| silver bracelet; a robe worked IN gold
open in front, and fastened under the
bosom, which is left bare; the sleeves
| ere drawn close under the armpit, and
afterwards hang loose from the elbow
to the wrist a silk gauze tune runs
underneath, and coyels the chest
Over the robe they wear a velvet vest
of scarlet colour, lined with sable or
ermjne. with gold embroidery over the
seams: the sleeves are also open.
The hair is parted across the head,
a norton falling over the neck, the rest
twisted in plaits falling to the ANGLES,
and made longer by black silk tresses,
initiating naturalhair. Small wreaths
ofGold or silver hang at the extremity
| of these tresses, which by their weight
| they cause to float along the shape:th
head is moreove strewed with small
nearl chains, strung gold sequins, and
natural flowers, all mixed up together,
and scattered with incredible profuslon
Just as if the contents of a casket
had been thrown pellmell over those
oaudy heads 0 fhair covered WITH the
perfume of jewels and flowers. This
barbarian gorgeousness has the most
picturesque effect on young females Of
from fifteen to twenty some women,
moreover wear a cap Of cut gold, OF
the shape Of an inverted cup on the
centre orwhich cap is seen a gold tas-
| sci bearing a .uft of pearls and dangling
on the shoulders. Their legs are bare
and the only covering Of the feet are
yellow morocco slippers, which they
drag along at every step,
Their arms are covered with ace
lets of gold, silver, or pearls their
necks with several necklaces forming a
twist ofgold or pearl on th~e'uncovered
bosom.
AS soon as all the women had as
sembled, a wild music was heard some
females, whose breasts were only co,
vered with a slight red gauze, uttered
sharp and p%laintive cries, ana piayeo
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