Note [93.] An occurrence of a similar nature, which happened a few years ago in Cairo, was related to me by one of my friends there.—An old woman frequented the tomb of a saint in that city, near the eastern gate called the Báb el-Maḥrooḳ, to which many women afflicted with disease or barrenness often resorted to offer up prayers, believing their petitions would be effectual through the saint's intercession; and she was in the habit of enticing ladies from this tomb to the house of her husband, which was near by, under pretence of his serving them with medicines or with charms. The unsuspecting victim, being desired to go thither alone, was conducted by the old woman to an upper room, at the end of which the man was seated; and in walking over the matted floor to approach him, suddenly fell through a trap-door into a place so deep that the fall rendered her senseless. In this state, she was put to death; and as ladies in Cairo always wear valuable ornaments and costly clothes, the murderers were sure of obtaining considerable spoil.

Note [94.] This money, we are to understand, was prepared for the purpose of giving those presents which are customary from a guest at a marriage-festivity; but the mention of a smaller sum would have been more proper. It is given to the singing-women and tire-women who, in great houses, parade the bride through the different apartments, and display her in different rich suits of attire before the bridegroom.

Note [95.]—On the Handkerchief, and Signet, of Indemnity. Sometimes, the handkerchief, and sometimes, the signet, or seal-ring, is given as a pledge of indemnity.—It was a frequent custom of many a chief of the Memlooks of Egypt (there commonly called "the Ghuzz"), to bastinade men in the court of his mansion (when he desired to make a show of strict justice), in order that one of the women of the family, hearing the cries, might drop a handkerchief from a window, and so the punishment might soon cease, in respect for the ḥareem, whose protection is often appealed to by offenders.

Note [96.] The title of "Sulṭán" is here, and afterwards, given to the Khaleefeh; and it has been so employed by a celebrated historian, El-Maḳreezee.[344]

Note [97.] So, apparently, in most copies; but in the Cairo edition, "of the sons of the Kings." It is said to have been a custom of some of the Barmekees (the family so renowned for their generosity) to keep open house during the hours of meals, and to allow no one who applied at such times for admission to be repulsed.

Note [98.] "Sikbáj" is a dish composed of meat, wheat-flour, and vinegar.

Note [99.] "Ḳaṭáïf" is a name applied to various kinds of sweet pastry: particularly to a kind of small pancakes, made of a thin paste of fine flour and water, about three inches broad, and a sixth of an inch or less in thickness, baked upon a copper tray over a fire, like kunáfeh (the composition of which is the same), and eaten with honey or sugar: also to cakes composed of fine flour, treacle or honey, and sesame-oil. The sirup mentioned in the same sentence is (as my sheykh states in a marginal note) treacle thickened over the fire.—The proper singular of ḳaṭáïf, namely, "ḳaṭeefeh," is seldom used; one of these cakes being generally called "fard ḳaṭáïf." Sometimes, it appears, they were perfumed with musk.

Note [100.] The "mithḳál" is the weight of a deenár, or a dirhem and a half,—in Cairo, about 71-1/2 or 72 English grains.

Note [101.] See above, Note 96.