Narrative of travels and discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, in the years 1822, 1823, and 1824Denham, Dixon
History
Narrative of travels and discoveries in Northern and Central Africa, in the years 1822, 1823, and 1824
Denham, Dixon
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Africa, North
Sheikh Sultan ben Kaid, from the Shiati, a great warrior, who had
a terrible wound in his face, which had nearly demolished his nose,
from the sword of a Tuarick—ten men.
Hamed el Geide, Shiati—ten men.
Hamed Bendou el Hothmani, Shiati—ten men.
Sheikh Boo Bucker Saakhi, Shiati—ten men.
Salem Asheneen Hashnuowy, Shiati—thirty men.
The Maraboot Sid Hassan ben Eran—ten men.
Il R’baiah—ten men.
Boo Ahgoom, Osfilly—twenty men.
Futhaem—ten men.
Arabs are generally thin meagre figures, though possessing expressive
and sometimes handsome features, great violence of gesture and
muscular action. Irritable and fiery, they are unlike the dwellers
in towns and cities: noisy and loud, their common conversational
intercourse appears to be a continual strife and quarrel; they are,
however, brave, eloquent, and deeply sensible of shame. I have
known an Arab of the lower class refuse his food for days together,
because in a skirmish his gun had missed fire: to use his own words,
“Gulbi wahr,” “My heart aches;” “Bindikti kedip hashimtni
gedam el naz;” “My gun lied, and shamed me before the people.”
Much has been said of their want of cleanliness; I should, however,
without hesitation, pronounce them to be much more cleanly than
the lower order of people in any European country. Circumcision,
and the shaving the hair from the head, and every other part of the
body; the frequent ablutions which their religion compels them to
perform; all tend to enforce practices of cleanliness. Vermin, from
the climate of their country, they, as well as every other person,
must be annoyed with; and although the lower ranks have not the means
of frequently changing their covering (for it scarcely can be called
apparel), yet they endeavour to free themselves as much as possible
from the persecuting vermin. Their mode of dress has undergone no
change for centuries back; and the words of Fenelon will at this
day apply with equal truth to their present appearance[8].
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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