Insolvency Laws.
An insolvent cannot be detained in prison after his insolvency is ascertained. He gives up his property to his creditors; but if he should afterwards become a man of substance, his creditors can claim the amount of their debts, deducting what they have already received.
Dances.
The dances of the Arabs are peculiar to themselves. The youths dance without females, and the females without youths. On all marriages and rejoicings, music and dancing continue till the dawn of day. Among the encampments of Arabs, in the summer season, the whole country, at night, is in a blaze of light. The kettle-drum, the triangle, the shepherd's pipe, and the erbeb an instrument resembling the fiddle, with two strings, form the band of music.
The youths form a double row of six or eight in each, and carry themselves erect, with their arms hanging down close to their side; moving obliquely to the right, then to the left, without taking their feet from the ground, but moving their heels, then their toes on the ground, advancing or gliding slowly along; keeping exact time with the music: they then vault in the air, perform somersets and various feats of agility. They sing also with great taste and judgment, and some of them have excellent voices, being selected for the purpose of affording entertainment to the spectators. The ladies dance also in a similar manner, but without the vaulting and somersets. They have a very elegant shawl-dance, which some of them dance with great taste, and with much graceful movement.
Circumcision.
The circumcision of male children is the general practice of Islaemism; it is also used among some of the [201] Khaffers or Cafers of North, Central, and South Africa. Circumcision is not a practice ascribed to a principle of cleanliness, or any other cause, but ancient usage. The period of performing this operation among the Arabs is at the age of eight years.
Footnote 201:[ (return) ] Khaffer (singular number) is an Arabic term, applied to all who are not Muhamedans; all Pagans, Jews, and Christians, are called Khaffer, K'fer (plural) Kaffir billa, an atheist: hence Caffraria, the name of the country near the Cape of Good Hope.
Invoice from Timbuctoo to Santa Cruz.