The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-06
an Arab Weddinc bv Moonlight.


Alters CORRESPONDENCE Of the London Telegraph
Anxious to do their guests honor, the good
tcoDered Arabs had fetched us chairs from
the fort, and spread carpets beneath them.
and when we were seated the men ana boys OF
the village squatted around IN large cree,
enyeloped in their white burnouses, looking
Ike so many volcanoes, as the smoke OF pipe
or cigarette emerged from the hoods Of those
garments. In one pa:tof the circle fire was
lighted for coffee making; ia another, close
to ourselves, a carpet OF plated grass was
spread, and behind all, in the shadow Of the
but, one could see a dim group of forms in
dark dresses and tinseled walls, from which
every minute little tinkle of laughter, or the
sound Of bracelets and bangles rolling together
suficed to tell us that the ladies of the place
were, as usual, all aliyeabout the interesting
occasion. Then, coffee being served, the
drums went at it again, and the pi pes blew
vigorously, the drums advancing and the pipes
retrealing, and vice versa, as IN quadnIe,
till, with an especially loud flourish, drums
and pipes changed places, and the jackals,
who had been joining in, gave up the evening
as quite spoiled for hunting and went ho"l'n9
I'D the rayne The music was rude, but OF a
single charm and character for all that and
seemed to excite tie Arabs 10 boundess de-
light. One pulled my sleeve, and whispered,
"hada tayis, va khawaja !''-Isn't it beauti-
full? Byand-by, a last walng scream OF the
pipes and an earnest rappel OF the goatsk'ns
was answered by a shFlil cry from the women
behind US, whereupoi the ring opened, and
into it gliled in the moonlight, Fathnsa, the
best dancer of her tribe, and 'chef maiden -
to the invisible bride. Fathma is sixteen,
petite, Slight, graceful as a gazele dark as the
brown patches on its muzz!e; with large eyes
like gazelle's, shining in The moonlight,
and teeth as white as the lemon flowers strung
in her black trcsSes. They are tied up with
handkerchief Of black and silver, and she
wears besides a long white robe, which hides
her feet, and bodice Of white and silver,
opened between her bosoms, the sleeves Of
which come down far beyond her hands, leav-
ing lappcts which she waves as she begins the
marriage Dance The marriage dance, [ re-
greet to say, was sometimes too decidedly &C
ccntuce to describe pas d pas; bat if ever
grace and apparent interest couIc excuse the
plain significance of every look, gesture and
movement in such a ballet de fascination, pref
ty Fathma's might First, with subtle, rhyth-
mycal, and almost serpcntnelke wreathnys
Of her 1.-THE body, she led the drums and pipes
round the ring then she glided to one end of
it, and herliyht figure throbbed and pa}pitated
with quicker but perfectly graduated action Of
growing passion till, though her feet could not
be seen to move, her form passed up and down
in the moonlight, eloquent Of what Arabs
mean by love, with every vibration and must
Cal shudder of the young limbs and bosom.
By-and-bv she ceased from this part OF the
dance with quick tremble of her body, and
an indescribabIy graceful and lanyuid abandon
Of attitude; and while a deep sigh Of "Wah !!
wah va Allah " went round the burnouscs,
the women raised the shril cry again. Then
Fathma executed pas for tie special benefit
of her misunderstanding in front Of each Of
US, and touching each-upon which, as in
courtesy and gallartry bound, we put a piece
Of money upon her forehead, which was trans
ferred to some deep receptacle in her bosom ;
the drums and pipes proclaiming each gift,
and the ladies outside making US blush by
their excited acknowledgements. These coins
and those given by the relations 60 to the
bride, who remained all the time concealed
and as etiquette and fatigue alike demanded it,
we rose and left Fathma refreshing herself
with coffee, getting glimpse as We passed
out of the unveiled faces of the women; and
tie bridal drums were banging still, and the
pipes riyaling them, when we fell asleep