Travels in Turkey, Asia Minor, Syria, and across the desert into Egypt ...

SYRIA, EGYPT, GERMANY, &C. l6j
stockings. Their Sheicks have a
large
blue checkered or plaid
handkerchief which hangs loosely down from one of the shoul-
and wear slippers on the feet.
ders ;
The dress of the women of the same class is
equally simple, con-
sisting also of a long blue chemise, without either slippers or stockings.
A piece of black silk answers the purpose of a veil so effectually,
that scarcely any part of the face, the
eyes excepted, can
be seen. The are blackened with a
eye-lids pigment made of the
tesselated ore of lead, which in the country is called, alquifoux j
and the chin is stained of a blue colour. The fingers are dyed of
a red or deep orange colour with the leaves of the henna; and on
the wrists bracelets of coloured glass are worn, with large rings on
the fingers. The ears are ornamented with rings, from which pie-
ces of money are occasionally suspended.
The women of a superior rank in life dress nearly in the Turk-
ish style. At times they wear a large black mantle, which in a
great measure covers the whole of the body,
and reaches down to
the heels.
Among the different articles manufactured in that the white
city,
and coloured cottons, the shawls, and the silk and woollen hand-
kerchiefs should be noticed, together with a variety
of articles of
t&Hery and embroidery, the latter of which arc executed with great
taste and elegance.
The saddles, holsters, and pouches for ammunition, as well as
those to contain the Koran, which the Mahomcdans carry constantly
about them, are principally employed by the Mamelukes
and Turks of distinction, and are extremely handsome. The great-
er part of the saddles and holsters are covered with rich velvet,
embroidered in gold with much neatness and even elegance.
The manufacture of silken cords, which are attached to the sa-
bre instead of a belt, as well as to the pair of pistols slung across
the shoulders, and the demand for which is very great, gives em-
ployment to a very considerable number oi persons at Cairo.
These cords are likewise employed by the Arab groom, or Seis, as
braces to fasten the large loose sleeves of his shirt, and prevent
them falling beneath the
constantly
elbows, the lower part of the arm
being
naked.
The genuine sabre blades sold at Cairo, and which are held in
the highest estimation, are very costly. As they are however ex-
tremely brittle, the management of them requires particular atten-
tion,, They arc brought from Damascus and Persia, from the