[FN#445] Not the head of the Church, or Chief Pontiff, but the Chief of the Olema and Fukahб (Fбkihs or D.D.'s.) men learned in the Law (divinity). The order is peculiarly Moslem, in fact the succedaneum for the Christian "hierarchy," an institution never contemplated by the Founder of Christianity. This title shows the modern date of the tale.
[FN#446] Arab. "Maulid," prop. applied to the Birth-feast of Mohammed which begins on the 3rd day of Rabн al-Awwal (third Moslem month) and lasts a week or ten days (according to local custom), usually ending on the 12th and celebrated with salutes of cannon, circumcision feasts, marriage banquets, Zikr-litanies, perlections of the Koran and all manner of solemn festivities including the "powder-play" (Lбb al-Bбrъt) in the wilder corners of Al-Islam. It is also applied to the birth-festivals of great Santons (as Ahmad al-Badawi) for which see Lane M. E. chapt. xxiv. In the text it is used like the Span. "Funcion" or the Hind "Tamбshб," any great occasion of merry-making.
[FN#447] Arab. "Sanбjik" Plur. of Sanjak (Turk.) = a banner, also applied to the bearer (ensign or cornet) and to a military rank mostly corresponding with Bey or Colonel.
[FN#448] I have followed Mr. Payne's ordering of the text which, both in the Mac. and Bull. Edits., is wholly inconsequent and has not the excuse of rhyme.
[FN#449] Arab. "Jilbбb," a long coarse veil or gown which in Barbary becomes a "Jallбbiyah," a striped and hooded cloak of woollen stuff.
[FN#450] i.e. a broken down pilgrim left to die on the road.
[FN#451] These lines have occurred in vol. i. 272. I quote Mr.
Payne.
[FN#452] Note the difference between "Zirt," the loud crepitus
and "Faswah" the susurrus which Captain Grose in his quaint
"Lexicum Balatronicum," calls a "fice" or a "foyse" (from the
Arabic Fas, faswah ?).
[FN#453] These lines have occurred in Night dcxix, vol. vi. 246; where the pun on Khaliyah is explained. I quote Lane.
[FN#454] The usual pretext of "God bizness," as the Comoro men call it. For the title of the Ka'abah see my Pilgrimage vol. iii. 149.