[149]. The Ragha of the Zendavesta, and Rages of the Apocrypha (Tobit, Judith, etc.), the old capital of Media Proper, and seat of government of Daylam, now a ruin some miles south of Teheran which was built out of its remains. Rayy was founded by Hoshang, the primeval king who first sawed wood, made doors and dug metal. It is called Rayy al-Mahdiyyah because Al-Mahdi held his court there: Harun al-Rashíd was also born in it (A.H. 145). It is mentioned by a host of authors and names one of the Makamat of Al-Hariri.
[150]. Human blood being especially impure.
[151]. Jones, Brown and Robinson.
[152]. Arab. “Kumm;” the Moslem sleeve is mostly (like his trousers) of ample dimensions and easily converted into a kind of carpet-bag by depositing small articles in the middle and gathering up the edge in the hand. In this way carried the weight would be less irksome than hanging to the waist. The English of Queen Anne’s day had regular sleeve-pockets for memoranda, etc., hence the saying, to have in one’s sleeve.
[153]. Arab. “Khuff” worn under the “Bábúg” (a corruption of the Persian pá-push = feet-covers, papooshes, slippers). Lane M. E. chapt. i.
[154]. Done in hot weather throughout the city, a dry line for camels being left in mid-street to prevent the awkward beasts slipping. The watering of the Cairo streets of late years has been excessive; they are now lines of mud in summer as well as in winter and the effluvia from the droppings of animals have, combined with other causes, seriously deteriorated the once charming climate. The only place in Lower Egypt, which has preserved the atmosphere of 1850, is Suez.
[155]. Arab. “Hurák:” burnt rag, serving as tinder for flint and steel, is a common styptic.
[156]. Of this worthy something has been said and there will be more in a future page.
[157]. i.e. the person entitled to exact the blood-wit.
[158]. Al-Maamum was a man of sense with all his fanaticism. One of his sayings is preserved, “Odious is contentiousness in Kings; more odious vexation in judges uncomprehending a case; yet more odious is shallowness of doctors in religions and most odious are avarice in the rich, idleness in youth, jesting in age and cowardice in the soldier.”