when the feathered tribes are the most pugnacious of breathing beings.
[266]. Lane finds these details “silly and tiresome or otherwise objectionable,” and omits them.
[267]. Meaning, “Thou hast as yet seen little or nothing.” In most Eastern tongues a question often expresses an emphatic assertion. See vol. i. [37].
[268]. Easterns wear as a rule little clothing but it suffices for the essential purposes of decency and travellers will live amongst them for years without once seeing an accidental “exposure of the person.” In some cases, as with the Nubian thong-apron, this demand of modesty requires not a little practice of the muscles; and we all know the difference in a Scotch kilt worn by a Highlander and a cockney sportsman.
[269]. Arab. “Shíraj” = oil extracted from rape seed but especially from sesame. The Persians pronounce it “Síraj” (apparently unaware that it is their own word “Shírah” = juice in Arabic garb) and have coined a participle “Musayrij” e.g., Bú-imusayrij, taint of sesame-oil applied especially to the Jews who very wisely prefer, in Persia and elsewhere, oil which is wholesome to butter which is not. The Moslems, however, declare that its immoderate use in cooking taints the exudations of the skin.
[270]. Arab. “Nakkárún,” probably congeners of the redoubtable “Dandán.”
[271]. Bresl. Edit. xi. 78. The Mac. says “They are all fish” (Kullu-hum) and the Bul. “Their food (aklu-hum) is fish.”
[272]. Arab. “Az’ar,” usually = having thin hair. The general term for tailless is “abtar.” See Koran cviii. 3, when it means childless.
[273]. A common formula of politeness.
[274]. Bresl. Edit. xi. 82; meaning, “You will probably keep it for yourself.” Abdullah of the Sea is perfectly logical; but grief is not. We weep over the deaths of friends mostly for our own sake: theoretically we should rejoice that they are at rest; but practically we are afflicted by the thought that we shall never again see their pleasant faces.