[391]. Arab. “Ahlan” in adverb form lit. = “as one of the household”: so in the greeting “Ahlan wa Sahlan” (and at thine ease), wa Marhabá (having a wide free place).
[392]. For the Sufrah table-cloth see vol. i. [178].
[393]. See vol. iii. [302], for the unclean allusion in fig and sycamore.
[394]. In the text “of Tor”: see vol. ii. [242]. The pear is mentioned by Homer and grows wild in South Europe. Dr. Victor Hehn (The Wanderings of Plants, etc.) comparing the Gr. ἄπιος with the Lat. pyrus, suggests that the latter passed over to the Kelts and Germans amongst whom the fruit was not indigenous. Our fine pears are mostly from the East. e.g. the “bergamot” is the Beg Armud, Prince of Pears, from Angora.
[395]. i.e. “Royal:” it may or may not come from Sultaníyah, a town near Baghdad. See vol. i. [83]; where it applies to oranges and citrons.
[396]. ’Andam = Dragon’s blood: see vol. iii. [263].
[397]. Arab. “Jamár,” the palm-pith and cabbage, both eaten by Arabs with sugar.
[398]. Arab. “Anwár” = lights, flowers (mostly yellow): hence the Moroccan “N’wár,” with its usual abuse of Wakf or quiescence.
[399]. Mr. Payne quotes Eugène Fromentin, “Un Eté dans le Sahara,” Paris, 1857, p. 194. Apricot drying can be seen upon all the roofs at Damascus where, however, the season for each fruit is unpleasantly short, ending almost as soon as it begins.
[400]. Arab. Jalájal = small bells for falcons: in Port. cascaveis, whence our word.