Around—the bearded chiefs he came to lead.
[8]. The Turco-English form of the Persian “Puláo.”
[9]. i.e. the secure (fem.). It was the name of the famous concubine of Solomon to whom he entrusted his ring (vol. vi. 84); also of the mother of Mohammed who having taken her son to Al-Medinah (Yathrib) died on the return journey. I cannot understand why the Apostle of Al-Islam, according to his biographers and commentators, refused to pray for his parent’s soul, she having been born in Al-Fitrah (the interval between the fall of Christianity and the birth of Al-Islam), when he had not begun to preach his “dispensation.” See Tabari, ii. 450.
[10]. The cane-play: see vol. vi. 263.
[11]. Galland has une Goule, i.e. a Ghúlah, a she-Ghúl, an ogress. But the lady was supping with a male of that species, for which see vols. i. 55; vi. 36.
[12]. In the text “Wazífah” prop. = a task, a stipend, a salary; but here = the “Farz” devotions which he considered to be his duty. In Spitta-Bey (loc. cit. p. 218) it is = duty, office, position.
[13]. For this scene which is one of every day in the East; see Pilgrimage ii. pp. 52–54.
[14]. This hate of the friend of man is inherited from Jewish ancestors; and, wherever the Hebrew element prevails, the muzzle, which has lately made its appearance in London, is strictly enforced, as at Trieste. Amongst the many boons which civilisation has conferred upon Cairo I may note hydrophobia; formerly unknown in Egypt the dreadful disease has lately caused more than one death. In India sporadic cases have at rare times occurred in my own knowledge since 1845.
[15]. In Galland “Rougeau” = (for Rougeaud?) a red-faced (man), etc., and in the English version “Chance”: “Bakht” = luck, good fortune.
[16]. In the text “Sarráf” = a money-changer. See vols. i. 210; iv. 270.