Page:Domestic Life in Palestine.pdf/232

Rh large. They all wore head-dresses of silver coins, like the women of Nazareth, with the addition of three or seven chains of silver links and coins, hanging from the end of the head-dress on each side, in the same way that unfastened bonnet-strings hang. Their dresses were of dark indigo-colored cotton, very thick and coarse, open at the front, like loose pelisses, girdled and worn over white shirts and dark cotton trowsers. Their arms and faces were tattooed with spots and stars, their eyebrows were blackened with a thick pigment, and their eyelids stained with soot. Many of them wore silver bracelets. The ragged and half naked tawny children were agile and rapid in their movements, observant, and mischievous. The young girls were soon satisfied that I was not a spirit, and they decame very demonstrative and caressing, and were full of curiosity. One of them took a flaming brand from the fire, and held it near to my face, that she and the rest might see me more plainly. A very old woman, who seemed to have authority over them, rebuked them, saying, "Be silent, О foolish ones! if the stranger had a hundred tongues she could not answer all your questions; and do you not see that the poor child is tired? Let her rest in peace." Then they made coffee for me; and while I was taking it, a boy, better dressed than the others, came bounding in, exclaiming, "Where is the white lady? The Afranjî will not eat till she comes." So I rose and followed him into the street, where the sheikh awaited me with the lantern.

I returned to the house. My brother had caused the wood fire to be removed, for the smoke almost suffocated us. A small red-clay lamp stood in a niche in the wall, and the lantern was placed in a recess near to the door. Our supper of grilled chickens, hot bread, and sweet cream, was spread for us on the floor of the dais. At the same time a large wooden bowl of dried peas boiled in oil, and a dish of lebbany, or sour milk, and cakes of bread, were brought for our attendants and servants, who were grouped together with the horses in the lower part of the room.