Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1873-02-06
An Arab Wedding Ball.

Acurtain drawn across the door of the
tent writes a traveller in Ageria) con-
cealed the bride, who, closely yelled,
sat within, surrounded by women. On
the outside between four and five hun
dred people were collected, and clear
space was kept in the middle for the
dancers by two omen with drawn swords,
who vigorously applied, right and left,
the flat 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 hageolets
and drummer who occasionally accom-
panied the music with his voice
In the centre was middle-aged wo-
man, dressed in the usaal dark blue
cotton garments, but decked with all
her ornamehts-ear-rings, bracelets and
a 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 Highland
ers) confined the loose folds across her
bosom, and small looking-glass set In
metal dangled conveniently at the end
of string of sufficient length to allow
OF her admiring her charms in detail.
Her face was uncovered, and her fea-
lures were harsh and disagreeable, eX-
cept the eyes, which were large and ex-
pressive, with that peculiar lustrous
appearance given by the use of a min
eral paint. Her feet were hardly visible
from the length of her dress, and her
finger-nails, together with the palms OF
her hands, were stained with henna. AS
soon as we had taken our stand in the
front row, the music, which had ceased
for few minutes, struck up, and the
lady in the midst commenced her per-
formance.
Inclining her head languishingly from
side to side. she bent time with herfeet,
raising each foot alternately from the
ground with a jerking action, as If she
had been standing on hot floor, et the
same time twisting about her bodywlthl
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 IN
ducement to exert themselves was not
wanting, for one of them more than once
received some tolerably severe blows
both from q stick and the flat of the
sword; what the reason was l 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 present
his weapon at friend opposite. throw
ing himself into graceful attitude;
then suddenly dropping the muzzle at
the instant of pulling the trigger, the
charge struck the ground close to the
feet of the person aimed at. After each
report the women set up a long-con-
tinued shrill cry of "lu-lu, lulu" and
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 and
grace. Ten or q dozen men being
crowded into small space, sometimes
not more than six feet wide, brandish
ing 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 the by
standers.