Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-02-26
Arab Women.

THE dress of an Arab woman of the
lower class is more simple than elegant ;
it consists OF habaya-a kind of linen
chemise with wide sleeves-tied round
the waist with cord like the habit of a
Capuchin. In the street all this is COW
cred by haik, which does not, however,
hide her bare legs adorned with silver or
copper anklets. She wears large ear
rings, which are almost hidden under the
mass of hair twisted about them, while a
pro 'usion of necklaces, amulets, coral
and glass beads fall over her tattooed neck
and bosom. These things belong to the
wife personally, being settled on her
by marriage stipulation in case of
abandonment or divorce. Thus she puts
them on as often as possible, for the dis
play of such finery is one of the few
pleasures she enjoys, so the most is made
of it. Sometimes she dyes her hands,
and always her nails, with the orange
tint of henna, and is fond of the scent
called souak. She, like her Moorish sis
ters, also attempts to improve upon ma
ture by biackening the lashes of her
large eyes with koheul. The adjar
worn in Algiers and other large
towns was unknown before the time
of Mahomet, who introduced it
to serve his own personal jealousy;
thus the distrustful disposition of one
man has condemned all Muslin women
to pass through life with kerchief over
the face. This law of the Prophet is
cne of many which has contributed to
degrade woman in her social position.
Whenever they-the young at least-can
remove the jalOusie, which not only con-
cesls their charms but prevents them
from breathing the air of heaven freely,
they take 1t off; thus we often meet
women unveiled in the country, when no
Arab is near. II they see one approach
ing they Immediately replace the veil,
but they are not equally particular when
they meet Roumi, SO that many oppor-
tunities of seeing their faces are offered,
even in the neighborhood of Algiers and
Oran. In the Kabylie the adjar is not
worn; for the Kabyic-who makes COM
panion of his wife and treats her as his
equals not so suspicious as the Arab.
Young Arab and Moorish women, we may
remark, cover the face because they are or
dered to do so; the old find it convenient
policy, for, like charity, 1t hides many
defects Thus old women are In general
very strict in wearing the adar them
selves, and are as little indulgent to
young ones who are caught without it as
the Jealous husband himself; the reason
being envy in the one case and mistrust
in the other Some of the sex allow one
eye only to be seen. These, instead of
the usual adjar, draw their drapery--
which covers them from head to foot
over the face, leaving a little hole for
the solitary optic to peep through. We
have often In our rambles In the eoun-
try about Algiers met with women thus
muffied up--and still more frequently in
out-of-the-way places further off, who,
on noticing our apparent speculation of
the countenance which offered only one
black eye to guide us in our conjectures,
suddenly let the curtain fall, as they
laughingly showed us face which had
no cause TO fear being exposed; this was
done with merry look which seemed to
say: How do you like it? does il please
your In the same way we have seen
girls in the Arab quarter Of Algiers, on
arriving at their own homes, take of the
adjar on the threshold to allow us a
single glance as they closed the door on
us, and on our curiosity. Aigeria as IL
is" By George GaskeN