158 Dancing Girls. the Emperor, and i f the y discover a Machiavellian or despotic p o lic y, th e y are generally promoted to the government o f some province or town. T h e Moors are not v e ry fond o f games or diversions; they are often seen sitting in the streets for hours together, sometimes in a dull lethargic humour, at others so vociferous and full o f action with each other, that a person unacquainted with their manner would suppose they were going to fight. T h e ir usual games are leap-frog, jumping, and foot-ball; the last is the favourite diversion, at which they do not seek to send the ba ll to a goal, but kick it up, and amuse themselves w ith it, without any definitive purpose. O f their military exercises the (lab el Borode) riding full speed, and firing, is the on ly one ; this is performed by all those who keep horses ; a party starts off together, and running full gallop fire their muskets, stopping short close to some wall, those being considered the best horsemen who approach nearest the wall, and stop sho rte st; they then return, load again, and renew the race : this is the mode after which they charge an enemy. In the markets and public streets are seen expert jugglers, who perform astonishing feats o f legerde-main with most curious and unaccountable deceptions : the province o f Suse is most celebrated for these arts. Certain theatrical orators g o about the most busy parts o f the cities, and arrest the attention o f the passengers by declamation. Some o f these players personify all the various characters o f a drama with exquisite spirit and humour. In the evening these amusements are laid aside and the Assfehna, or dancing boys, ,excite the attention o f the p o p u la ce ; these boys are accompanied b y a governor, or master, who is indispensibly o f a musical Marriages, <be. 159 turn, and is accompanied by a kettle-drum,a flute made o f a reed* and similar in sound to the pandean pipe, and an instrument with two strings, somewhat like the Greek l y r e .T h e s e dancers are habited in gaudy attire, and move their feet in dancing without taking them off the ground, but grad u ally proceeding forwards, till they, b y a signal from their ch ie f vau lt into the air, and perform various evolutions somewhat similar, to the tumblers at Sadler’s Wells. Decency forbids the recital o f what usually occurs after this entertainment is terminated. Amongst the Arabs the girls dance in a v e ry superior style the Arabian ladies o f the Mograffra tribe, as well as those o f Woled Abbusebah, eminently excel. I remember passing a- n i°h t in one o f their douars, on the confines o f Sahara, with a large party o f A rabs, and instead o f going to sleep, the Sheik o f the douar sent for six elegant females, who engaged our admiration till the morning. Judging o f the movements o f these dancing Arabs with the sentiments o f an Englishman, th e y would be thought somewhat la sc iv iou s ; but the manners and customs o f the country reconciles to propriety these spirited- movements. Signor Andrea de Christo, a Venetian merchant, was with me, and declared that he had n ev er seen better danc^ ing in Italy. When a Mooselmin is inclined to- marry, he makes enquiry o f some duena or confidential servant respecting the person o f he r mistress, and i f he receive a satisfactory description o f the lady, an opportunity is sometimes procured to see h e r at a window, or other p la c e ; this interview generally determines whether the parties are to continue their regards ; i f the suitor- be satisfied with the lad y, he seeks an occasion o f communicating his passion to the father, and proposes to. m a r ry his
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