NOTES TO CHAPTER FIFTH.
Note [1.] As the story of the Humpback is one of the best in this collection, and purely Arab, I have been glad to find, in the Calcutta edition of the first two hundred nights, authority for deviating here from my usual standard copy, by substituting "El-Baṣrah" for a city of China. The Breslau edition, in the opening of the story, lays the scene at "El-Baṣrah and Ḳajḳár." By the latter, I suppose Káshghar to be meant.
Note [2.] In my original, they are said to have gone out early in the morning; but this is contradicted by the sequel.
Note [3.] The appeal to Ezra's ass, which alludes to a tradition believed by the Muslims, as it is mentioned in the Ḳur-án, is omitted in the Cairo edition. The story is this:—'Ozeyr, or Ezra, "riding on an ass by the ruins of Jerusalem, after it had been destroyed by the Chaldeans, doubted in his mind by what means God could raise the city and its inhabitants again; whereupon God caused him to die, and he remained in that condition a hundred years; at the end of which, God restored him to life, and he found a basket of figs and a cruise of wine that he had with him, not in the least spoiled or corrupted; but his ass was dead, the bones only remaining; and these, while the Prophet looked on, were raised and clothed with flesh, becoming an ass again, which, being inspired with life, began immediately to bray."[323]
Note [4.] Most Arab cities abound with cats, which are much favoured by the inhabitants. These animals are often seen leaping across from the terrace of one house to that of another on the opposite side of a narrow street; and often has my kitchen in Cairo been robbed by them. They are said to contribute greatly to the spreading of the plague.
Note [5.] Occurrences of this kind are said to have often happened in Arab towns, where dogs, though esteemed unclean by the Muslims, are, like cats, generally very numerous. Few of them have masters; but they compose distinct tribes; those of each tribe confining themselves to a particular quarter or district of the town, and suffering no strange dog to intrude among them and share with them in the offal thrown out from the butchers' shops and from private houses; or prowling about the mounds of rubbish in the environs, and, like the vultures, feeding upon the carcasses of camels, asses, and other beasts, thrown out by the inhabitants. I was once told that the master of an English merchant-vessel, having fallen asleep in a state of intoxication on the shore of the harbour of Alexandria, at night, was devoured by dogs.
Note [6.] The snatching of turbans by night is still a frequent practice of Arab rogues, and one which is often very lucrative; many a turban being composed of a costly Kashmeer shawl wound round a ṭarboosh, which latter alone is worth eight or nine shillings, or more, and some also having money or other valuables secreted in them.
Note [7.] Watchmen are generally employed to guard by night the sooḳs, or market-streets, and other districts, in Arab towns. Those in Cairo carry a nebboot, or long staff, but no lantern. Their usual cries are of a religious nature; as, "I extol the perfection of the Living King, who sleepeth not nor dieth!" When they see a passenger approaching, they call out to him, "Attest the unity of God!" or merely, "Attest the unity!" and the reply is, "There is no deity but God!" It is supposed that a person bound on any unlawful undertaking would not dare to utter these words.