River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1876-06-29
AN ARAB DIESER.


Batting witE thc Implement, tl.atWe,p Made
y fore Forks
a traveller anong the Bedoulns d.
scIbes AZ follows, In the Juy Galaxy,
q banquet which he attended s. b and
myself IN response 10 m invitation TO
dinner from Manm0ud, repaired to the
camp Of our HelghbOrs, directing om
steps 70 the principal tent, which was
lo0ped 10 IN front Part Of the tent
vas closely screened on for the Wo-
men the middle portion OF the apart
ment nto which we entered Wa sup
piled with Turkish carpets ana cash.
ious something the worse for wear
The chef took MS each by the hand
and ushered usto seats on the carpets
with i courtesy not unworthy court
Ter OF the time OF Louis NY Besides
the cheii were three other Bed0mn5
who, according tothe Hierarchy of the
4 ta, were assigned places on the ear
pets, while several others OF ub0rdi-
nate position apparently, ,quatted on
the ground oil the carpets Coffee was
prepared as q preliminary TO- lie
dinnor, IL 0tI pes-Ece
Before sc began TO eat there was
the hand.Bssh eI0oiHed bs the koran
ne water WIS poured on our hands
ont OF q jug outside 0t tie tent, about
halt a pint beng allotted To each
The process Nas brief The Arabs
swung then hands, Tapped them on
then garments, and it was dOne-and
they were no cleaner than before
This clearly Was not the Lvgenc ope
ration which Aahomct Intended it 10
re, but as may re inferred from this
description people here as elsewhere
are prone do obey the letter OF the law
rather than its spirit observed sub
seQuently that when they desired 10
cleanse themselves more thoroughly
they rubbed their hands with sand
and GA rare occasions with soap.
Seml-puufed Ve returned 10 Qua
places ia the tent ana the repa4t was
served without woman la sight 1t
consisted Of a huge wooden bowl
about three feet ia diameter. lined
with thin batter ca es and Oyerhang
ing the sides, the bowl being filled
with boiled rice saturated with grease
probably butter made from goats's on
camel milk In the centre OF the rice
was piled up quantity Of boiled
mutton hr chef setting the exam
pie We fell 10 this mess, while the ~.
tainers and uur tragoman, oil the car
pets. eyed as with envy anal watered
mouth
For q man accustomed 10 q knife and
fork the eating pf ented difficulties.
ohIch however Mere partially over
come o. closely observing the men
who have never known any other AID
10 this Way than that which nature
has given them Yet they have an
etiquette which governs theHias tyran-
nically da ON own Only the right
Adnd NAV be thrust into the bowl lie
no eats with the left is ill-bred, and
he who EMPLOYS both Is a gldtt0n
We initiated oar hosts as well as we
could thrust the right hand into the
Gce. made e bali of d. the size 81 Il
hens egg, squeezed the supeihuous
water and grease ont uf ID. and
t,vItchcd II into the mouth Us deN.
ferrous movement Of the thumb, after
the kedouiu manner prunuuHciug CO..
easioually the indispensable 'taib Ia
compliment ol the Amphltycu
Another feature OF Arab etiquette
was 20 contnp oneself 20 the same place
IN taking from the bowl each one
making htS own hole and remaining
therein Ia tie beginning ct the rr.
past there ls not much trouble in ob.
serving the rude but when the gtu.
eTal level 0t the rice ana mutton lu,y.
cred lt required cane tu remain ON the
H.. d st#r tfE
that Of the ueighbol The rule was
hardly observed hy my ucighbor On
the left Who Wa, "a NuHciuas eater
Slth an Indifferent, clean hand he
u length ATE away the barrier. tii.
tered my Territory, and pushed me 10
the right Fheie ] led on anaaaW
ledge until m1 appetite was satisfied
wren rhi gave WY Md che tNfohOh
merged into one Jst0pp a. sE
10 % mau seated "a one Ot ptlmm
teo 7lut,tha table, the uJuushMrnt
suesH.bcd nav uTpeur uuuy0ry .f.at
- nnnRIy ole 90 lac tanks DC the
f0rdiult#afathfr,nt ma moth Rand
myself Atc ~ tie great platter uth
pleasure toss minute after II N8.
brought lu. form %, beginning il .Uaa
to- not Ton u- although u0t lal aui
hetshb.i. Hho Ind skilled Wl5 VI
oahc.lH the ace 5b1at hptttW thol
fingers % Good H. WmcuVr tuuelNJrtd
~ sam tua.4uIu thD ll.a Jrtte.
3us.t stripped tte meat tIum the bone.
0he nLgti suA. doNu Ml y. ua tflpr
another 'n iht banning mutton n
playing ntel Uou thg violin
DuI Old II#.lIU fUII .... than If..... .