Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-06-18
SUPPED WITH AN ARAB.
UNUSUAL TREAT OF SOME AM.
ERIcAN WOMEN IN EGYPT.

No Forks, No Dishes, No Chairs, No
Lights But tho Moon-The Fare
Good II Not Quite Comprehensive
Washed After Each Course.
Egypt is place where woman, visit
ing woman, that is, has some extra
perquisites. Supping In the bosom of
an Arab family is one of them. If the
tourist Is on good terms with some
dragoman, and is willing to loosen her
purse strings little, she ought to
manage an invitation to one of these
little suppers without much trouble.
We went more than four hundred
miles up the Nile and tasted joy and
a dozen other even more unfamiliar
iavors at Luxor. We felt none the
worse for 1t, either, except perhaps a
stiffness Of the knees, none of us hav-
ing been brought up to 1t tailorwise.
Luxor is q hide0us Arab village,
squatted ON q small part of the ancient
site of Thebes. The houses are roof
less, rambling huts of Nile mud, with
queer round turrets for the storing of
grain. Most of the inhabitants are
squalid and dirty.
1t doesn't sound inviting, and we
defy contradiction when we say that
1t doesn't look inviting. Our drago-
man, whom we will call Hassan be-
cause that was not his name, was
about twenty years old, and could
speak English.
The supper was arranged to come
on a certain evening, and about 6
o'clock Hassan piloted us from the ho-
tel through labyrinth of lanes to his
house. Hasson summoned his female
relatives, consisting of quite q collec-
tion of sisters, sisters-in-law, and an
aunt or two.
The Arabs evidently think that stars
were made before lamps. Later, when
the moon climbed up and looked over
the mud wall at US, we were glad that
the lighting Of the feast had been left
to nature. Instead Of bringing In the
lamps which we expected Hassan
brought In an immense brass tray,
which be placed on folding supports.
1t wasn't more than two feet high, this
dining table. but with considerable
cracking Of joints we sat down on the
cushions which the female relatives
placed for us. One sister sat down
With US, SO that we were FIVE at the
table. The female relations, with the
exception Of the sister who ate with
US. retired to the kitchen to accomplish
the supper. Hassan, rid of his dusty
outer garments, served the meal.
First he brought napkins, and then
he brought In one hand brass bowl.
In the other O brass pitcher of warm
water. We held our hands In turn
over the bowl and Hassan poured the
water over them, after which we dried
them on our napkins and wondered
what would come next. What did come
was SO much like what it would have
been At home that we had a bad mo-
was served in brass cups instead OF
china ones. The resemblance to sou
venir luncheons ended there
Hassan soon appeared with the SEQ.
ond course. II was n big howl of rice
and was deposited in the middle of the
table, while large piece of bread wa.
placed In front of each Of us Not he
Ing up In Arab etiquette. we observed
q discreet inactivity. We exnocted
plates. but were in doubt whether tbov
would be ACCOMPANIED bv knives forks
or spoons. Our hostess solved our
doubts BY taking a handful of rico
from the bowl and putt,ng II In tbo
hand Of her next neiebbor HAVING
fitted each Of us with a stickv 6.tfrI
she took one herself and we all fell IN
Much to our relief f Hassan brought
the bowl and pitcher round again ftar
the rice episode. and we bad a good
wash and felt better Tho femaIo ro,o.
tives had not put in nm annearance for
quite a while. and when the ne1t
course arrived we know II was bocorso
they had been too busv uasson