Page:Domestic Life in Palestine.pdf/397

390 represented the twelve apostles. Even the village curé, of whom I made inquiries the next day, could not give me any information. He said, "It is a custom peculiar to the Eastern Christians." The Greeks kept it much in the same style on the 16th of December.

On referring to Butler's "Lives of the Saints," I find it is recorded, under the head of December 4th, that Saint Barbara was a holy virgin and martyr, "who is honored with particular devotion in the Latin, Greek, Muscovite, and Syriac calendars; but her history is obscured by a variety of false acts. Some say that she was a scholar of Origen, and suffered martyrdom at Nicomedia; but others say that she suffered at Heliopolis, in Egypt, about the year 306—there stood an old monastery near Edessa which bore her name."

I was surprised to see with what fidelity and enthusiasm the people kept this festival, and yet showed no curiosity to learn its origin or history. In fact, they keep all kinds of fasts and feasts, and perform all sorts of ceremonies, without pausing to consider what they mean. It is enough for them to know that they are "ancient customs"—and customs in the East are like the laws of the Medes and Persians. I do not pretend that in England we are altogether exempt from this kind of folly, but it is much more apparent among the Greeks and Latins of the  East.

On Saturday, the 6th of December, I was playing at chess with Saleh Bek Abdul Hady, when one of his servants entered the drawing-room, and approaching his master, said, "A son is born to you, my lord." Mohammed Bek and Saleh Sekbali, who happened to be present, united with me in congratulating the father, but he received the tidings very quietly, and to my surprise persisted in finishing the game, which he did as coolly as he had commenced it. He afterward lingered to read some ancient Arabic poetry aloud to my brother, and did not leave us till long after sunset.

On Monday, the 8th of December, I visited his harem.