The Louisiana cotton-boll. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], Attakapas, La.) 1872-1883, 1874-03-11
WOMEN AMONG THE ARABS.

WOMEN AMONG TIE ARABS.
PoIygamy is rare among the Bedou
ms; but few have two wives. The
Z marriage ceremony is very simple
, among the Aenezes. When a man de.
: sires to marry a girl, he sends a friend
of the family to her father, and the
girls wishes are asCertained for she is
! not compelled to marry against her in
clinatiOn. If she agrees, the friend,
then holding the fathers hand, says
aloud that he understands that he is
willing to give his daughter in mar
riage to her sutton, when the father an
swers in the affirmative. The we'd
ding-day is fixed, and the bridegroom
brings a lamb to the tent of the girls
father and cuts its throat before wit
nCsses as sOon as the blood falls upon
the ground, the marriage ceremony is
regarded as complete, and the bride is
by-and-by conducted to her new home.
The knot, being so easily tied, unfor-
tunately is lOoscned without much scru-
pie, for divorces are of frequent occur
renee. If an Arab becomes dissatisfied
with his wife, he separates himself by
simply saying, "Thou art divorced"
and, giving her n she-camel, sends her
back TO her family. He is not obliged
to state any reasons, nor does this re-
fleet particularly on the discarded wifo's
honor the husband is excused by his
friends saying he did not like her.
There have been instances of Arabs,
not more than forty-fve years of age,
who were known to have had above tif-
ty different wives in fact, VIII ever will
be at the expense of a camel may di-
vorce rs many wives as he p~leases.
The wife also can use the privilege of
divorce in a somewhat modified form.
If she is unhappy, she can fly for re.
fuge to her kindred, and, if the hus-
band uses force to induce her to return,
her family would resent this violence.
He may revenge himself by withhold
ing the words of divorce, so that the
woman cannot marry again. OF this
class there are a large number, but old
maids are unknown among the Be
douins. If the husband dies, his
brother generally offers to marry his
widow, but neither is forced by custom
to enter into matrimony. A man has
the exclusive right to the hand of his
cousin, though he is not obliged to
marry her !; still, without his consent,
che cannot accept a husband.
Women are regarded among the Be-
douins MS inferior to men, aud, though
not neglected, they are always taught
to consider that their chief business is
cooking and working. An unmarried
girl enjoys much more consideration
than a married woman once married
she becomes a mere drudge, occu.
pied all day, while her husband is
lolling at ease, and smoking his pipe.
The m have to fetch the water. q
labOrlous operation often, and the I'M
married girls among the Arabs of Sinai
drive the herds to pasture. They watch
the sheep all day, and if a man of the
passes, they offer him a drink of
milk or water. On most occasions,
however, If a stranger passes, the wo-
men turn their backs upon him, nor will
receive anything from his hands
unless some friends be present. The
Did women are, however, treated with
great reverence and respect by their
children, but the relations between the
.athers and their grown-up sons are of
zen very bad. In many tribes slaves
the more mental Offices of the
and most wealthy sheiks pos
some of them. After q lapse of
line the slaves are emancipated and
to persons of their own color.
Hospitality is certainly one of the Be- {
iouln virtues, though it often proceeds ]
ON vanity and a Gesire of distinguish t
n!g themselves among their equ Is in {
he tribe. A helpless traveller may 90
whole way between Mecca and Da- {
nascus, and he can safely enough trust 7
o the hospitality of the wild tribes he
nay encounter. A hungry Bedouin
ill always divide his scanty meal with t
stranger, though he may have no s
cans of procuring a fresh supper, t
When a stranger enters an Arab en- il
ampm2nt he alights at the first tent on il
is right hand, for if he passed that h
its owner would consider himself "
} be sighted. Among the Arabs of 8
mai the custom is that the stranger is f
ne guest OF the first person who des- b
l2s him from afar. Sometimes seri- h
us quarrels arise as to who has the n
ght to entertain n visitor in the alb h
NICE of the husband, his wife i~nvaria- A
~ receives and entertains strangers. u
1871 ted by a male relation, who L
oes the honors. Some tribes of the tc
rabs permit the M to drink coffee 81
it'll strangers on their arrival, provided h
70 owner oil the tent be present, II
mong those tribes who are continually HI
posed to the passage of strangers, It 81
ust be confessed that hospitality can er
lly be purchased by money, and on b.
e Hail route little mercy is shown to fir
lgrims in distress. The influx of for. hi
On manners has done a good deal to- m
nd impairingthe ancient virtues of the N
abs who live on the borders of Syria.
The Alps Of ArGbia," by ". C. In
HuOhan. &"