The stripes are unlaced when they remove their encampment and rolled up. The length of the tent is facing the centre of the circle. The form seems to have undergone a change. The gable, which is now transversely placed, must have formerly run through the length. At least so alone could the description of Sallust be correct, “Oblonga incurvis lateribus tecta, quasi navium carinæ.”—The tents were formerly transported on waggons.
FOOTNOTES:
[295] “Their manner of saluting the stranger is the same as that of the Jewish patriarchs, and of the people amongst whom they lived, as described in the Old Testament. When a stranger approaches the tent of an Arab, he begins by examining to which side it is turned, then bringing himself opposite the entrance, he approaches with slow steps, until he has come within a hundred passes; then he stops, with his arm in his hand ready for defence. He turns his back to the tent, and waits till he is seen, and some one approaches him; he then prostrates himself twice to the earth, and adores. On this a man of the tent takes water in a wooden vase, and advances towards him;—it is generally the chief of the family who does so, or his eldest son; and if there are no men, it is one of the women advances with the vase or something else, to eat or drink, if they have it; if not, they bring a skin or a piece of wove stuff, to accommodate the stranger. When they have come within a few paces of him they say, ‘Is it peace?’ and he answers, ‘It is peace;’ and then they say each to the other, ‘May peace be with you and your family, and all that you possess.’ Then touching each with his right hand the hand of the other, they carry it to their lips, which is as much as if they kissed each other’s hand. I presume it is from this custom that has come the complimenting use amongst the Spaniards, who on meeting say, ‘I kiss your hand;’ and if to a lady, ‘I kiss your feet.’”—Riley.
[296] Meleag. Anthol. 1. 3, c. 25.
[297] There may be some connexion with the jemmas of the Greeks, as designating the salutation with which such holy places were entered. To ‘adore’ is to carry the hand to the lips. The Indians adore the sun by standing up, not as we do by kissing the hand.—Pliny. The modern Greek uses προσκύνω for the Turkish jemmas. In any modern language a periphrase would be requisite.
[298] In Sus they run copper by lighting fires.
“Blest paper credit! last and best supply!
That lends corruption lighter wings to fly!
Gold, imp’d by thee, can compass hardest things,
Can pocket states, can fetch and carry kings.
A single leaf shall waft an army o’er,
Or carry statesmen to some distant shore;
A leaf like —’s scatter to and fro
Our fates and fortunes as the wind shall blow.”—Pope.
[300] Pennant saw in the island of Rum (1769) the Quern or Bra in use, and “instead of a hair sieve to sift the meal, they have an ingenious substitute, a sheep’s skin stretched on a hoop, and bored with small holes, made with a hot iron.” “Singing at the quern” was then out of date, the lairds compelling them to grind at his mill, and the miller being empowered to break the querns wherever he found them.
[301] “As soon as the evening breeze begins to blow, the song resounds throughout all the land. It cheers the despondency of the wanderer through the desert; it enlivens the social meeting; it inspires the dance, and even the lamentations of the mourner are poured forth in measured accents. Their poetry does not consist in studied and regular pieces, such as, after previous study, are recited in our schools and theatres: they are extemporary and spontaneous effusions, in which the speaker gives utterance to his hopes and fears, his joys and sorrows. Specimens are wanting of the African verse; yet, considering that its effusions are numerous, inspired by Nature, and animated by national enthusiasm, they seem not unlikely to reward the care of the collector. The few examples actually given favour this conclusion. How small a number among our peasantry could have produced the pathetic and affecting lamentation, which was uttered in the little Bambarra cottage over the distresses of Park! These effusions, handed down from father to son, contain all that exists among them of traditional history. From the songs of the Jellemen of Soolimani, Major Laing was enabled to compile the annals of this small kingdom for more than a century.”—Discovery and Adventure in Africa, p. 350.