silver rings, and round their necks they hang rows of beads of various colours. The old women frizzle their hair over the forehead, so as to make it project to some distance ; and they dye it of a dull red, with the leaves of a plant called Henna, which gives it the appearance of red wool. All the females have a practice of tattooing their chins, the tips o f their noses, and between The eyebrows. Their necks and arms are also frequently marked. The favourite figure is that of a hand, which is intended to avert the “ Evil Eye.” They wear red lacing boots, in the same manner as the men. When young (that is to say, fifteen or sixteen), they have fine figures, and are exceedingly handsome ; but they soon lose their good looks and pleasing form, and become as ugly as they were before beautiful. Their eyes are black and large; their noses straight and well proportioned; they have small bps, and their teeth are exquisitely white. Nothing, in fact, can exceed in prettiness an Arab girl; but the old women are, without exception, the most disgusting and hideous creatures I ever beheld. Both sexes blacken their eyelids with Kohol, or lead ore powdered, which adds much to the brilliancy of the eye, and makes it appear larger than it really is. They all wear an immense quantity of Agebs or Charms, against disorders and misfortunes. The arms of the Arabs are the same as those of the natives of Tripoli, viz. guns, pistols, swords, and daggers. They are good shots, when able to rest their guns ; but otherwise cannot easily manage them. The gun is slung over the shoulders, and the pistols are worn in a belt, which is hung round the body, and which contains the ammunition? They are constantly armed with both these weapons ; but the sword is seldom carried, unless when they ride on horseback ; it is then suspended by the side of the saddle, in such a way as to remain under the left leg, with the hilt near the pommel. They generally procure their powder and lead from Tripoli, though some possess the art of making a kind of inferior powder amongst themselves. In the Tripoline dominions, and in Eezzan also, there are two kinds of Arabs, one wanderers, the other fixed residents in towns; those in towns (as Benioleed for example) travel much about the country, but always return to what they consider as their home. The wanderers have no permanent place of abode, but remove their tents as pasturage or circumstances require. These tents are made of woollen, coarsely woven in long pieces and sewn together. They spread to a great breadth, but are not h igh ; the entrance being about six feet, and the top sloping gradually down till it is fastened to the ground. They are so divided by means of mats or carpets, that the women have a separate place from the men, and can be hidden from the gaze of strangers : they, however, so manage it, as to see without being themselves observed. These dwellings of the Arabs are called by their inhabitants, Beit el Shar, jlAlt or “ hair houses,” and Nejja also. By means of bushes, almost every tent has an inclosure adjoining it, for securing sheep or goats at night; and stakes are driven in the ground, to which the horses are fastened, though sometimes these animals are allowed a portion of the tents of their masters. The Arabs are generous to their own kinsmen; and should a stranger come amongst them, they never deny him the rights of hospitality, provided they are themselves eating; but should that not be the case, they make no attempt to prepare food expressly for him : an acquaintance, however, is always sure of a good reception. The Bedouins of Barbary are not to be compared with those of Egypt, either for enterprise, ingenuity, or good qualities; since whatever they may have been, they are now, by the tyranny of their masters, fallen from their once high character, and are not in G
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