Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-10-10
A BEDOUIN WEDDING.
AN ACCOUNT OF A MARRIAGE AMONG
A WANDERING PEOPLE.

mcnt--Iiow tho Drido Was Dressed.
Welded without Having seon Her Eu-
turc Lorti--A simple Feast.
A Bedouin wedding, which I lately
had the occasion to witness, took place
in Ramleh, q seaside resort near Alexan-
dria, where many houses have Bedouin
ghafr, who pitches his tent near his
masters house, and lives there with his
family and cattle, if he has any.
The bridegroom was the son Of q
friends ghafir. Previous to the engage
ment the father had obtained three days
leave on the plea of his going down to
Alexandria for the choice of daugh-
ter-in-law. On the evening Of the third
day several shots fired successively an
nounced to the native Bedouins the CHA
frs return and the happy result of his
mission. The wedding was fixed for that
day week.
Groups Of BedOuins fastened to an
swer to the invitation, and after some
talking and shouting the men soon
formed ring and began clapping hands,
the body keeping time to the movements
of the hands by going upward and down
ward. Now and then one of the fellows
walled forth Bedouin song, while the
others chorused. The women sat chat
ting before the tent and occasionally
filed the air with the shrill sound of the
ziraleet. No refreshment was offered,
and their sole eclairiye was the moon,
whose silvery light gave weird aspect
To In xs.l,< ~.
amusement the guests retired.
The next evening the firing brought
forth all the company of the preceding
night. This time the great attraction
was two dancing women, very pictur-
esquely dressed. and their faces covered
with n soft black muslin. They entered
the ring formed by the men, each Of
them holding long staff-an adjunct
to the varieus movements of their figures.
They went round and round. shaking
their hips and leaning at different in
tervals on their staffs, while the clapping
0f hands redoubled in whichever part
Of the ring the women approached.
! observed II young enthusiast take
handful of sand from where one of the
women had trodden and kiss it re-
peatedly. Noticed that the bridegroom
was absent, and, asking for the cause.
was informed that he was too bashful
to appear. Two hours later the company
dispersed to begin afresh ut intervals
during the short engagement.
THE WEDDING.
At last the eventful morning dawned.
A new tent had been pitched for the
young couple. while in that of the old
ones several cauldrons full of rice and
water were boiling. When the rice was
done some oil was poured over it, and
then very large wooden bowls were
brought forward to receive the contents
of the canldrons. This formed the whole
menu of the wedding breakfast, and was
attended to by the brideyroom's mother.
aided by some other matrons. The
ghafir and the young people had gone to
fetch the bride. They had taken with
them one of the ghatir's camels. which
they had gaily decorated with red and
blne cloth, and erected canopy on its
back to receive the bride.
A large procession was formed, headed
by horsemen and other Be,louins armed
with guns. which they fired frequently.
The bride. completely hidden from sight
by the curtains of the canopy, and fol-
lowed by the women. brought up the
rear. They went all over Ramleh, stop
ping before every friends tent to dance,
fire and sing. AT about 4 o'clock in the
afternoon the merry party arrived at the
hridegroom's place. The latter had re-
mained at home.
The father. who was holding the cam
els bride, handed it over to his wife,
who led the animal seven times around
the bridal tent. each time accompanied
by shots, which are the chief feature in n
a Bedouin wedding. Finally the camel
stopped before the entrance of the tent
and the bride was carried in by her
lnother-in-law.
THE BRIDE.
was curious to see her face, and, as
was asked to go in, gladly accepted.
The tent had two compartments and was
quite devoid Of furniture, except some
rugs and straw mattings, on one of which
the bride sat surrounded by other women.
She was girl of fourteen, with regular
features. beautiful black eyes and tatooed
china most prevalent fashion among
Bedonin women. She wore a long, dark
red silk chemiSe caught nm mt the whist