The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-04-10
Az ARABIAN HOUSEHOLD.


Az ARABIAN HOUSEHOLD.
rmuS, rulcavOr 10 convey to the reader
.ome idea Of the domestic establishment ot a
.,r.a, Arabian shcikh Sofuk, at the time Of
orr visit. was the husband of three wives, who
were considered to have special claim to his
,f,.tiOn and his constant protection ; tor 1t
yy,s one of Sofuk's weaknesses. arising either
.ro,, ,lcsire to impress the Arabs with a no
ton of his greatness and power, or from
nartialitv to the first stage of married life, to
,.kc new partner nearly every month and
at The end of that period to divorce her, and
marry her to one of his attendants. The hap
nv man thus lived in a continual honeymoon.
nt the three ladies now forming his harcm,
the chief was Amsha lady celebrated in
h. song of every Arab of the desert for her
feautv and noble blood She was the daugh-
;er of IIassan. Sheikh of the Tai. tr'h" trac
inc its origin from the rcmotcst antiquity. and
ne of whose chiefs. lIatcm her ancestor. l. a
nero of Eastern romance Sofuk had carried
her away hv force from her father; but had
alwavs treated her with great respect. From
AN, and beauty, she had earned the title of
,Drcen of the Desert" Her form traccahlr
,brouch the thin shirt which she wore like
o,hrr Arab women, was we'll proportioncd
anil ,racefi. She was tall in stature. and
i.lr in complexion Her features were r"@
nar and her eyes large. dark and brilliant.
Sic had undoubtedly claims to more than or
dnarv beauty; to the Arabs she was pcrtec-
ron. for all the resources of their art had
been exhausted to complete what nature had
tegun. Her lips were died deep blue. her
eyebrows were continued in indigo until they
united over the nose. her cheeks and fore
head spotted with beauty marks. her evclaSh-
. larkcned hv kohl: and on her lcgs and
to>Om could be seen tattooed ends of flowers
and fanciful ornaments, which were carried
IN beautiful festoonS and network over her
whole body Hanging from each ear, and
rcachng to her waste, was an enormous car
ring Of gold, terminating i'll table of the
same material. carved and ornamental with
iour turIuoses. Her nose was also adorned
with prodigiouS gold ring, set with Jewels
Of such ample dimensions that it covered her
mouth, and had to be removed when she ate
lonlcrous rows of strung beads. As>yrian
cylinders, fragments of coral. agatos and par
'v-colorcd stones hung from her neck silver
rJngs cncircled her wrists and ances, max inc
loud Hnging as she walked. Over he,
t'uc shirt was thrown. when she issued from
her tent, coarse striped cloak. and a com
Non black kerchet was bound loosely roun'
her temples by rope of twisted camcl's hair
Her menage combined, if the old song b.
true. the domestic and the queenlv. and wa
rarHed on with nice appreciation of ccono
my. The immense sheet of black goat hal
canvas. which formed the tent. was supporte,
p! twelve or fourteen stout poles, and Wa
rompIetelv open on one side Being entire
y SET apart for the women. it had no part
hons, like the tent Of the common Arab VIII
o'hl"el to reserve corner for the reCcptio
~ MS guests. Between the center poles wer
placed upright and close to one another
ARG" go1t-hair sacks. filled with rice, corr
.@rjFv coffee, anlo,hcr household stuff thei
mouths beng, of course. upward. Upon the,
were spread carpets and cushions on whic
Afl>ha rcchned Around her. squattcd o
me ground, were some fifty handmaidcn
ending III" wide caldronS, baking bread o
'"' IRON plates heated over the ashes. or Shal
my between them the skins suspended frol
'nrr" stakes, and filled with milk to be thu
h'rn'i into butter. 1t is the privilege O
'e head wife to prepare in her tent the dir
"'r' OF the shrikh', guests. Fires lighted q
al SIDES, sent forth cloud of smoke, whc
'''s heavily under the folds of the tcnt. an
would have long before dimmcd any eyes lie
'HIht than those of Am>ha. As suppli,
""7" asked for by the women she lifted IL
''7nor OF her carpc., united the mouths of II
"'ks and distributed their contents. Ey
y thing passed through her hands To Sho
authority and rank, she poured contin
any a torrent of abuse, and honorcl the
WIN "lithcts. Of which may be excused a
'NPiinS to give translation her vocal,
''Ey "4uaIling. if not exceeding in richno
nat Of the highly educated lady of the cit
Il" combination of,he domestic and the a
.''r''a'lve was thus complete. Her chillro
.''s" naked little urchinS, black with 5,
'~.'- a"d a@"rn"! with lonc tall or' IIs