The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-12-26
An Arab Wedding Ball.

A curtain drawn across the door of
the tent (wrltes traveller in Algeria) |
concealed the bride, who, closely yelled, |
sat within, surrounded with women. On
the outside, between four and five hum |
dred people were collected, and clear
space was kept in the middle for the
dancers, by two men with drawn swords,
who vigorously applied, right and left,
the fiat of the blade to all who pressed
too forward. On one side of the ring
squatted the band, consisting Of two
men, with instruments like flageolets,
and drummer who occasionally accom-
panied the music with his voice.
In the centre was middle-aged wo-
man, dressed in the usual dark blue cct
ton garments, but decked with all her
misunderstanding bracelets, and o
necklace, to which sundry charms and
amulets teeth of wild beasts, verses of
the Koran sewn up in little bags, and
various other odds and ends, considered
as projections from the evil eye, were
suspended: a large circular brooch Of
silver or white metal (the same in form
as those used by the Scotch Highlanders)
confined the loose folds across her bosom
and small looking glass, set in metal,
dangled conveniently at the end OF r
string of sufficient length to allow Of
her admiriug her chars in detail. Her
face was uncovered, and her features
were harsh aud disagreeable, except the
eyes, whi,l Were large and expressive,
with that peculiar, lustrous appearance
given by the use Of n mineral paint
Her feet were hardly visible from the
length OF her dress and her finger nails,
! together with the palms of her hands,
were -tained with henna.
As soon as we had taken Cur stand in
the front row, the music which had
ceased for few minutes, struck up, and
( the lady in the midst commenced her
performances inclining her head Ian
guishingly from side TO side, she beat
time with her feet, raising each foot al
ternately from the ground with jerk
ing action, as if she had been standing
on a hot floor, at the same time twisting
about her body with a slow movement
Of the hands and arms. Several Others
succeeded her, and danced in the same
style with an equal want of grace. A
powerful inducement to exert themselves
was not wanting, for one of them more
than once received some tolerably severe
blows, both from stick and the fiat OF
the sword; what the reason was do not
know, but suppose that either she was
lazy or danced badly.
While the dancing was going on the
spectators were not idle; armed with
guns, pistols, and blunderbusses with
enormous bell mouths, an irregular fire
was kept up. Advancing step or two
into the circle, SO as to show off before
the whole party, an Arab would pre-
sent his weapon at friend opposite
throwing himself into graceful atti-
tude, then suddenly dropping the muz-
zle at the instant of pulling the trigger,
the charge strnck the ground close tc
the feet of the person aimed at. After
each report the women set up a Ions
continued shrill cry of lu-Lu, l'I-la, anG
the musicians redoubled their efforts
The advance of one man is usually the
signal for others to come forward at the
same time, all anxious to surpass theil
friends and neighbors in dexterity ant
grace. Ten or dozen men being
crowded into small space, sometime
not more than six feet wide, brandishins
their arms and excited by the mimic
combat, firing often at random, it is no
to be wondered at if accidents happel
occasionally to the actors or bystanders