[187]. Which meant that the serjeant, after the manner of such officials, would make him pay dearly before giving up the key. Hence a very severe punishment in the East is to “call in a policeman” who carefully fleeces all those who do not bribe him to leave them in freedom.
[188]. Arab. “Má Dáhiyatak?” lit. “What is thy misfortune?” The phrase is slighting if not insulting.
[189]. Amongst Moslems the plea of robbing to keep life and body together would be accepted by a good man like Abu Sir, who still consorted with a self-confessed thief.
[190]. To make their agreement religiously binding. See vol. iv. [36].
[191]. Arab. “Ghaliyún” many of our names for craft seem connected with Arabic: I have already noted “Carrack” = harrák; to which add Uskuf in Marocco pronounced ’Skuff = skiff; Katírah = a cutter; Bárijah = a barge; etc., etc.
[192]. The patient is usually lathered in a big basin of tinned brass, a “Mambrino’s helmet” with a break in the rim to fit the throat; but the poorer classes carry only a small cup with water instead of soap and water ignoring the Italian proverb, “Barba ben saponata mezza fatta” = well lathered is half shaved. A napkin fringed at either end is usually thrown over the Figaro’s shoulder and used to wipe the razor.
[193]. Arab. “Nusf.” See vol. ii. [37].
[194]. Arab. “Batárikh” the roe (sperm or spawn) of the salted Fasíkh (fish) and the Búrí (mugil cephalus) a salt-water fish caught in the Nile and considered fair eating. Some write Butárghá from the old Egyptian town Burát, now a ruin between Tinnis and Damietta (Sonnini).
[195]. Arab. “Kaptán,” see vol. iv. [85].
[196]. Arab. “Anyáb,” plur. of Náb applied to the grinder teeth but mostly to the canines or eye teeth, tusks of animals etc. (See vol. vii. p. [339]) opp. to Saniyah, one of the four central incisors, a camel in the sixth year and horse, cow, sheep and goat in fourth year.