The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-07-21
AN ARAs wEppINo.
Ceremonies Attending . Marriage in th
Sahara Desert.

Ceremonies Attending Marriage In the
Sahara Desert.
had the good fortune to see a grand
Arab wedding. The Caid had planned
the marriage Of his daughter to Sheik
frankly one Of the ugliest menI have
ever seen--who was already the pos
SCISSOR Of four wives. From what whis-
pers could be heard from the mysterious
recesses OF the harem, the bride was a
lovely girl of fourteen, her repugnance
having delayed the marriage some ten
days. After the ceremony, while the
bride was being conveyed to the BRIDE
groom's home in q sort Of howdah OF
brocaded silk, her cries and lamenta-
tions could plainly be heard above the
din OF the pistols and matchlocks and
the voices Of some thirty maidens, who,
surrounding the camel that bore her,
gave utterance to strange noise made
by tapping the mouth with open hand
while crying out, the effect produced
being somewhat like the cry OF an
Indian. These maidens had on this
occasion yashmaks made mostly Of
light green gauze studded with golden
stars, which partly concealed the face
of some of the loveliest women and
girls. Their eyes, indeed, equaled
those of a gazelle, but seemed to have
mournful vacancy and to be any
thing but windows OF the soul. Arab
etiquette prevented me from advanc-
ing too near. What with the en-
broidery, the gold and colored gar
ments, it made up whole of bizarre but
most striking effect. On went the pro-
cession to make tour on tho desert,
surrounded by this frenzied band Of
relatives, while the marriage feast
kids and sheep roasted whole-was
being cooked. On their return, pre-
parations were made for what had so
much lOnged to see, the celebrated
'tastaisie arabe." Imagine about forty
Arabs, superbly mounted and armed,
casting aside the burnoose OF every day
to appear in their holiday jackets of
every hue and texture imaginable;
horse housings of velvet and gold, with
tassels and embroidery everywhere;
the heels of cir long red leather
boots decked with the Arab spur, five
inches long, which is really only an
ornament; flashing arms, a long gun,
two long carved daggers, a brace of
pistols attached to cord round the
mock, SO that they can be flung over
the shoulder after being discharged,
a long sword, damascened with gold,
fastened to the saddle-bow-in such
guise they career headlong at a great
burst Of speed, the rein held loosely by
the little finger, using gun, pistols and
sword in turn in mimic warfare. Cries
Of defiance arise from the men, and
loud appreciation from the women, as
some skillful cavalier performs some
more daring feat than any of his COM
rades; till finally, amid whirlwind of
dust, horses and men, half mad with
excitement, stop by degrees from the
sheer violence of their exertions.
At the feast I was placed beside the
Caid, who looked approvingly at me
as I squatted down cross-legged, and
followed the others in tearing, strip by
strip, the meat from the steaming ami
NAL. AS bonnie bouche, my host
crammed his hand down the animals
throat, tearing out the tongue, and
sharing it with me. After sundry
dishes, highly spiced with pimento
and pepper, there came the CONSCIOUS,
the great national dish that is eaten
every day. It is taken by the hand
and thrown in the mouth. We finished
with dates, sweetmeats and coffee Of
. delicious flavor. Their manner of pre-
pairing tho beverage is, after roasting
the berry and beating it into powder,
toput it into tin pot with water enough
for one; after being made to boil, it is
served, grounds and all; but the aroma
is perfection.-E. p. Sanguinetti in
Harper's Magazine.