Page:Walter Matthew Gallichan - Women under Polygamy (1914).djvu/208

 out loss of consciousness, and many of the inmates of the harem use it freely. After taking it a strong thirst ensues, which is quenched with sherbet or wine.

The use of perfumes of a powerful odour is common throughout Islam. Mohammed, according to his favourite wife Ayesha, was very fond of the scent of musk and ambergris, and liked to smell camphor burning amongst wood. Musk is a favourite scent. It is popular in the Eastern harems, and is known as "the noblest of perfumes." Castoreum, vanilla, myrrh, otto of roses, sandal, and the perfumes from strongly-odorous flowers, such as the lily and tuberose, are all used.

Henna, used for staining the finger nails, gives forth a peculiar sweet odour. The flowers are often used in the harems to scent the body.

In spite of the religious injunction to avoid alcoholic liquors, wine is generally imbibed in the seraglios.

Under conditions in which one man controls several wives and a large regiment of concubines, it is obvious that polygamy does not solve adequately the problem of celibacy for women. Such an overplus of women for one man is an anomaly; and it is not necessary that I should be more explicit in allusion to this defect in the harem system.