Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-29
A BEDOUIN'S BRIDE.
ACCOUNT or AVOIDING AMONG THE
RESTLESS DESERT ARABS.
4 His Great Gaiiantry--sand Trod by q
Girl Kissed by Her Dussy sweet
hcart--Thc Bride--uer Dress.
rrondon ouoon.l


A Bedouln wedding, which l lately had
tho occasion to witness, tookplace in Ram
lIch, a seaside resort near Alexandria, where
many houses have Bedouin ghahr. who
pitches his tent near his masters house,
ana lives there with his family and cattle,
Il he has any.
The bridegroom was a son OF o friends
chair. Previous TO the engagement tho
father had obtained three days leave on
the plea of his going down to Alexandria
for the choice of a daughter-in-law. On the
evening Of the third day several shots fired
successiyely announced 70 the neighbOnng
Bedouips the CHAIRS return and the happy
result of his mission, The wedding was
Fixed for that day week.
Groups of Bedouins fastened TO answer
20 the invitation, and after some talking
and shouting the men soon formed ring
and began clapping hands. the body keep
ing time TO the movements OF the hands by
gong upward and downward. Now and
then one of the fellows walled forth Be
douin sons, while the Others cborused. The
women sat chatting before the tent. and
occasionally filed the air with the shrill
sound of the ziraleet. No refreshment was
offered, and their sole Cc'dirdge was tho
moon. whose silyery light gave q weird as
pect to the whole scene. After an hours
amusement the guests retired.
ARABIAN GAILkSTRY.
The next evening the firing brought
forth all the company of the preceding
night. This time the great attraction was
two dancing women, very pictnresgneiy
dressed, and their faces covered with a
soft black muslin. They entered the ring
formed by the men, each Of them holding
long staff-an adjunct TO the various
movements Of their figures. They went
round and round, shaking their hips and
( leaning at different intervals on their
i stats, while the clapping Of hands re-
Z doubled in which every part of the ring the
4 women approached. ] observed young
( enthusiast taking a handful Of sand from
Z the place where one of the women had
& trodden and kiss il repeatedly. j noticed
q that the bridegroom was absent, and, ask
i ing tor It's cause, was informed that be
/ was too bashtul TO appear. Two hours
& later the company dispersed, to begin
j afresh at intervals during the short en-
gagement.
AZ last the eventful morning dawned. A
4 new tent had been pitched for the young
4 couple, while in that of the old ones several
I. caldrons full of rice and water were boil
4 ing. 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 caldrons. This formed
the whole menu Of the wedding breakfast.
and was attended to by the bridegrooms
mother aided by some other matrons. The
CHAIR and the young people had gone TO
fetch the bride. They had taken with
them one Of the ghafr's camels which they
had gaily decorated with red and blue
& cloth and erected canopy on its back TO
receive the bride.
A large procession was formed, headed
bv horsemen and other Bedouins armed
with guns, which they fred frequently.
+ The bride, completely hidden from sight
b. the curtains of the canopy, and followed
Z by the women. brought up the rear They
went all over Ramleh, stopping before
, every friends tent 10 dance, fire. and sing.
+ At about 4 O'clock in the afternoon the
merry party arrived AT the brldegrOom's
place. The latter had remained at home.
The father, who was holding the cameps
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 BedOuln
wedding. Finally the camel stopped be-
fore the entrance of the tent and the bride
was carried in by her mother-in-law.
ABRIDE OF TIE DESERT.
I was curious TO see her face, and rs I
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
eat, surrounded 10y other women. She was
glrl Of fourteen, with regular features,
beautiful black ewes, aud tattooed china
{ most prevalent fashion amongst Bedouln
women. She wore q long, dark red silk
chemise. caught up at the waist with q
deep sash. On her head che wore dark
blue veil, tied with reds silk handker-
chief, beneath which very fine plaits of
( jet-black hair came down in two bandeaux
over her temples. After exchanging few
complimentary words with her withdrew,
glad to escape the sitting atmosphere of
the tent.
A sheik had been called TO perform the
marriage contract which took place be-
tween the parents OF both parties. The
new couple were not present at the cere-
mony. The ghafir handed over to his
sons father-ln-law fifty pounds. on con-
dition that. if later on the young wife
should ask TO be divorced from her hus-
band, the money was to come back TO its
first owner; and if, on the contrary, the
husband claimed separation, the sum
would remain with his father-in-law.
During that time the guests had sat over
their frugal meal, of which they partook
in groups Of four or five persons around
each wooden bowl. The fingers spared
them the use Of forks and spoons. While
they were still occupied with their repast
the bridegroom stole TO the nuptlal tent,
where he saw his wife for the first time.
Half an hour afterward the noisy party
La ~ a nd o,,tat rainpa1 IN, Tho r,1ooa