[308]. A Muslim cannot take as a concubine a slave who is an idolatress.
[309]. The white female slave is called “Gáriyeh Beyda;” the Abyssinian, “Gáriyeh Habasheeyeh;” and the black, “Gáriyeh Sóda.”
[310]. The Gellábs generally convey their slaves partly over the desert and partly down the river.
[311]. The motion here described they term “ghung.”
[312]. The Egyptians (unlike the Maghrab′ees, and some other people of Africa and of the East) do not generally admire very fat women. In his love-songs, the Egyptian commonly describes the object of his affections as of slender figure and small waist.
[313]. I observed here,—“It would seem that these insects were eaten by the Jews (see Leviticus xi. 22); but we cannot suppose that they derived this custom from the Egyptians, who regarded the beetle as sacred.”—A learned friend, however, has informed me, that the word rendered “beetle” in our version of the passage of Scripture which occasioned this remark properly signifies a kind of locust.
[314]. It is also called “homár mughattee” (covered ass).
[315]. See Numbers xi. 5.
[316]. Page 122.
[317]. Like the “Keys” and “Yemen” of Syria.