[342]. Arab. “Mahall” as opposed to the lady’s “Manzil,” which would be better “Makám.” The Arabs had many names for their old habitations, e.g.: Kubbah, of brick; Sutrah, of sun-dried mud; Hazírah, of wood; Tiráf, a tent of leather; Khabáa, of wool; Kash’a, of skins; Nakhád, of camel’s or goat’s hair; Khaymah, of cotton cloth; Wabar, of soft hair as the camel’s undercoat and Fustát (the well-known P.N.), a tent of horsehair or any hair (Sha’ar) but Wabar.
[343]. This is the Maghribi form of the Arab. Súk = a bazar-street, known from Tanjah (Tangiers) to Timbuctoo.
[344]. Arab. “Walímah” usually = a wedding-feast. According to the learned Nasíf al-Yazají the names of entertainments are as follows: Al-Jafalà = a general invitation, opp. to Al-Nakarà, especial; Khurs, a childbirth feast; ’Akíkah, when the boy-babe is first shaved; A’zár = circumcision-feast; Hizák, when the boy has finished his perlection of the Koran; Milák, on occasion of marriage-offer; Wazímah, a mourning entertainment; Wakírah = a “house-warming”; Nakí’ah, on returning from wayfare; ’Akírah, at beginning of the month Rajab; Kirà = a guest-feast and Maadubah, a feast for other cause; any feast.
[345]. Arab. “Anistaná” the pop. phrase = thy company gladdens us.
[346]. Here “Muákhát” or making mutual brotherhood would be = entering into a formal agreement for partnership. For the forms of “making brotherhood,” see vol. iii. [15].
[347]. Arab. “Ishárah” in classical Arab. signs with the finger (beckoning); Aumá, with the hand; Ramz, with the lips; Khalaj, with the eyelids (wink); and Ghamz, with the eye. Aumáz is a furtive glance, especially of women, and Ilház, a side-glance from lahaza, limis oculis intuitus est. See Preston’s Al-Hariri, p. 181.
[348]. Arab. “Haudaj” (Hind. Haudah, vulg. Howda = elephant-saddle), the women’s camel-litter, a cloth stretched over a wooden frame. See the Prize-poem of Lebid, v. 12.
[349]. i.e. the twelve days’ visit.
[350]. See note, vol. vii. [267]. So Dryden (Virgil):—
And the hoarse raven on the blasted bough