The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-03-12
Women Among the Arabs.

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ceremony is very simple among the
a girl he sends friend of the family to
certained; for she IS not compelled to
marry against her inclination. If she
agrees, the friend, then holding the
stands that he is willing to give his
daughter in marriage to her sutton, when
the father answers in the affirmative. The
wedding day is fixed, and the bridegroom
brings a lamb to the tent Of the
girls father and cuts its throat before
witnesses; as soon as the blood falls upon
the ground, the marriage ceremony is re-
garded as complete and the bride is BY
and-by conducted to her new home. The
knot, being so easily tied, unfortunately
is loosened without much scruple, for
divorces are of frequent occurrence. If
an Arab becomes dissatisfied with his
wife, he separates himself by simply say
ing, "Thou art divorced" and, giving her
a she camel, sends her back to her family.
He is not obliged to state any reasons, nor
does this reflect particularly on the dis
carded wife's honor; the husband is ex.
cused by his friends saying he did not
like her. There have been instances OF
Arabs, not more than forty-five years OF
age, who were known to have above fifty
different wives; in fact, whoever will be
at the expense of a camel may divorce as
many wives as he pleases. The wife also
can use che privilege of divorce in some
what modified form. If she is unhappy
she can fly for refuge to her kindred, and
if the husband uses force to induce her ia
return, her family would resent this VIC
lence. He may revenge himself by with.
holding 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 Bedouins. 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, she
cannot accept husband.
Women are regarded among the Bed.
ouins as inferior to men, and, though
not neglected, they are always taught TO
consider that their chief business is cook.
ing and working. An unmarried girl en-.
joys much mora consideration than a
married woman once married she be-
comes a mere drudge, occupied all day
while her husband is lolling at ease, and
smoking his pipe. The women have to
fetch the water, laborious operation Oft
en-, and the unmarried girls, among the
Arabs of Sinai, drive the herds to pasture.
They watch the sheep all day, and, if a
man of the tribe passes, they offer him q
drink of milk or water. On most occa-
sions, however, if stranger passes, the
women turn their backs upon him, nor
will they receive anything from his
hands unless some friends be present.
The old women are, however, treated
with great reverence and respect by their
children, but the relations between faith
ers and their grown-up sons are often
very bad. In many tribes slaves perform
the more mental offices of the family, and
most wealthy sheiks possess some of
them. After lapse of time the slaves are
emancipated and married to persons of
their own color.
Hospitality is certainly one of the Bed
ouin virtues, though it often proceeds
from vanity and desire of distinguish
ing themselves among their equals In the
tribe. A helpless traveller may 90 the
whole way between Mecca and Damascus,
and he Can safely enough trust to the hos:
pitality of the wild tribes he may en-
counter. A hungry Bedouin will al.
ways divide his scanty meal with a
stranger, though he may have no means
of procuring fresh supply. When q
stranger enters an Arab encampment he
alights at the first tent on his right hand,
for If he passes that tent its owner would
consider himself to be sighted. Among
the Arabs of Sinai the custom is that the
stranger is the guest of the first person
who descries him from afar. Sometimes
serious quarrels arise as to who has the
right to entertain q visitor; in the alb
sence of the husband his wife invariably
receives and entertains strangers, assisted
by male relation, who does the honors.
Some tribes of the Arabs permit the
women to drink coffee with strangers on
their arrival, provided the owner of the
tent be present. Among those tribes who
are continually exposed to the passage Of
strangers, it must De confessed that hos
pitality can only be purchased by money,
and on the Hal route little mercy is
shown to pilgrims in distress. The influx
of foreign manners has done q good deal
toward impairing the ancient virtues Of
the Arabs who live on the borders of
Syria.-IAs Alps Of arabia.
A COLONY of silk.worm cultivators is