The manner of salutation used amongst the Arabs is particularly striking, and certainly not ungraceful. Friends on meeting, seize each the right hand of the other, then loosen and apply the tips of their fingers to their mouths, afterwards laying the open hand on the heart, they press it and gently incline the head at the same time. Very intimate acquaintances mutually lift their joined right hands in such a manner that each kisses the back of the other’s hand, repeating with the greatest rapidity, “How are you? well, how are you? Thank God, how are you? God bless you, how are you?” which compliments in a well bred man never last less than ten minutes; and whatever may be the conversation afterwards, it is a mark of great good breeding occasionally to interrupt it, bowing solemnly and asking, “How are you?” though an answer to the question is by no means considered necessary, as he who asks it is perhaps looking another way, and thinking of something else. I must not omit to mention a particular instance of good breeding which I met with amongst these people: a man begged me one day to reach him a piece of straw which lay near me, that he might take out of a cup of water a bird which had fallen into it. I perceived, however, that it was only a Fly; and was afterwards informed that they consider it disrespectful to make use of the word Fly in presence of a superior. The questions asked and observations made by some of the inland Arabs respecting our country were very curious; amongst other extraordinary fancies, they have an idea, originating in the name given to the Atlantic, Bahr el blem, باحرالظلا, sea of darkness, that we have no Sun or Moon in the countries which are in the sea, and in consequence, they imagine that our ships sail about with great lanterns attached to them. They also believe that Christians use the milk of pigs as a beverage, and in fact, that it forms their chief subsistence. That we have horses, cows, and sheep, is not at all credited by them; and that our country should be destitute of dates excites their greatest commiseration. They cannot at all conceive how we avoid falling off our islands and rolling into the sea, or how, being surrounded by water, we have sufficient room for animals to graze. There are some on the other hand who think highly of our wealth and dignity, until they are told that our country is an Island, when their admiration decreases considerably. Buonaparte, or as the Arabs call him, Bono barto, is in great estimation amongst them, not on account of his military achievements; but because they have heard that he has 200,000 dollars an hour, and that he sits on a golden throne.