[105]. The Chief of the Moslem Church. For the origin of the office and its date (A.D. 1453) see vols. ix. 289, and x. 85.
[106]. Arab. “Satíhah” = a she-Satíh: this seer was a headless and neckless body, with face in breast, lacking members and lying prostrate on the ground. His fellow, “Shikk,” was a half-man, and both foretold the divine mission of Mohammed. (Ibn Khall. i. 487.)
[107]. Arab. “Wakt al-Zuhà;” the division of time between sunrise and midday.
[108]. In the text “Sufrah” = the cloth: see vol. i. 178, etc.
[109]. Arab. “Ya Tinjír,” lit. = O Kettle.
[110]. Arab. “Tari,” lit. = wet, with its concomitant suggestion, soft and pleasant like desert-rain.
[111]. Here meaning “Haste, haste!” See vol. i. 46.
[112]. The chief man (Aghá) of the Gypsies, the Jink of Egypt whom Turkish soldiers call Ghiovendé, a race of singers and dancers; in fact professional Nautch-girls. See p. 222, “Account of the Gypsies of India,” by David MacRitchie (London, K. Paul, 1886), a most useful manual.
[113]. Arab. “Kurúsh,” plur. of “Kirsh” (pron. “Girsh”), the Egyptian piastre = one-fifth of a shilling. The word may derive from a ✔ Karsh = collecting money; but it is more probably a corruption of Groschen, primarily a great or thick piece of money and secondarily a small silver coin = 3 kreuzers = 1 penny.
[114]. The purse (“Kís”) is = 500 piastres (kurúsh) = £5; and a thousand purses compose the Treasury (“Khaznah”) = £5,000.