Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1849-06-29
An Arab Belle;
/, A PEEP INTO A sHElKn's nAREm.

hdIeIH, Tue Cnlel was AmSna, q lady cell
ebrated in the song OF every Arab in the
desert, for her beauty and noble blood
She was the daughter Of I~lassan, Sheikh
of the Tia, a tribe tracing its origin from
the remotest antiquity, and n Of whose
chiefs, Hatem, her ancestor, is a hero of
Eastern romance. Sofuk had carried
her away by force from her father, but
had always treated her with great res
pect. From her rank and beauty she
had earned the title of "Queen of the
Desert" Her form, traceable through
the thin skirt which she wore, like other
Arab women, was welI-proporlioned and
and graceful. She was tall in stature
and fair in complexion. Her features
were regular, and her eyes dark and bril-
liant. She had, undoubtedly, claims TO
moro than ordinary beauty TO the Arabs
she was more than perfection, for all the
resources of their art had been eXhaus-
ted TO complete what Nature had begun.
Her lips were dyed deep blue, her eye
lids were continued in indigo until they
united over the nose, her cheeks and
forehead were spotted with beauty.marks,
her eye-lashes durkened by kohl; and on
her legs and bosom could be seen the
taloued ends Of flowers and f%anciful or
naments, which were carried in festoons
and network over her whole body
Hanging from each ear, and reaching
TO the waist, was an enormous earring
of gold, terminating in a tablet Of the
same material, carved and ornamentcd
with the four turpoises. Her nose vas
! DlAvpoI with n nrOliniotc nnll ripn cot
with jewels, of such ample dimensions
that it covered the mouth, and was 10 be
removed when the lady ate. Pondcrous
rows of strung beads, Assyrian cylinders,
fragments of coral, agates and parti-col.
CURED stones, hung from her neck loose
silver rings encircled her wrists and an
Giles, making a loud jingling as she walk
ed. Over her blue shirt was thrown
when she issued from her tent, a coarse
striped cloak. and a common black hand
kerchief was tied round her head. Her
menagc combined, if the old song be
true, tho domestic and the queenly, and
was carried on with a nice appreciation
of economy. The immense sheet of
black goat-hair canvass, forming the tent.
was supported by twelve or fourteen
stout poles. and was completely open on
one side. Being entirely set apart for
the women, it had no partitions, as in
the tent of the common Arab, who is
obliged to reserve a corner for the recep-
lion of his guests. Between the centre
poles were placed, upright and close TO
one another, large camel, or goat-hair
sacks, filled with rice, corn, barley, coffee,
and other household stuff; their mouths
being, Of course, upwards. Upon them
were spread carpets, and cushions, on
which Asthma reclined. Around her,
squatled or the ground, were some fifty
hand-maidens, tending the wide cauldron
baking bread on the iron plate heated
over the ashes, or shaking between them
the skin suspended between three stakes,
and filled with milk, 10 be thus churncd
into butter. 1t is the privilege Of the
head wife to prepare in her tent the din
ners Of the sheikh's guests. The fires,
lighted on all sides, sent forth a cloud of
smoke, which hung heavily under the
folds Of the tent, and would have long
before dimmed any eyes less bright than
those of Amsha. As supplies were ask
cd for by the women, she lifted the COR
ner Of her carpet, united the mouths of
the sacks, and distributed their contents.
Everything passed through her hands
10 show her authority and rank, she
poured continually upon her attendants Il
torrent Of abuse, and honored them with
epithels Of which | may be excused al
tempting to give a translation; her vocab-
ulary equulIing, if not excelling, in rich
ness, that Of The highly educated lady of
the city. The combination Of the domes.
tic and authoritative was thus complete
Her children, three naked lirle urchins
black with sun and mud, and adorned
with a long tail hanging from the crown
Of their heads, rolled in the ashes or or
the grass. Amsha, as | observed, shared
the affections, though no the tent, oil
So(uk-for each establishment had L
; tent of its own-wilh two other ladies
Atouia, an Arab, not much inferior tC
her rival in personal appearance; anC
Ferrah, originally a Yezidi slave, whC
! had no pretensions 10 beauty. Amsha
!, however, always maintained her sway
|, and the others could not sit without he
i, leave in her presence. To her alon,
were confined the keys of The larder-
h ~supposing Sofuk TO have had either key
!, or larder-and there was no appeal from
: her authority on all subjects Of domesli
economy.-Layard'S Ninerah and IL
Remains.
Father Nathan