CHAPTER XI. ARAB SURGERY VARIETIES OF ORIENTAL COSTUME-THE BEARD RIES-REMARKS ON CLIMATE-SCRIPTURE CORRO- FOR THE INTERIOR-HIRING CAND'GIAS, ETC. THE following morning found us busily discussing the subject of our evening debate: for there were still two or three knotty points to be considered, before we could put our resolutions in force. The chief of these had reference to the barber. Before this highly important personage could be summoned, it was necessary to determine what kind of dress we intended to adopt. All persons shave the head; but all do not wear a beard. Those who choose the "Nizam," or modern military uniform, neither require a turban nor a beard: but moustaches are indispensable; and the sides of the face and chin are closely shorn. Those who assume the long dress of the civilian or merchant, most frequently-I might almost say invariably, let the beard grow; and these always wear a turban. The chief peculiarity of the Mamlûk garb, is in the trousers, which are enormously broad and full and although USES AND ADVANTAGES OF THE BEARD. 301 very useful on horse-back, are a little inconvenient at first, when walking. The turban and the beard are essential parts of the costume: though I have seen instances in which both were omitted. Το If a person intends to reside a very short time in the East, it is of little moment what plan he adopts: but he who purposes to himself a long residence, would do well to consider the relative advantages of each. me this was of considerable importance, as I expected to travel in the more remote districts, where there is a great deal of fanaticism and superstition: and as I should have to act the "H'akkim," it was desirable to inspire confidence, and command the esteem of the multitude. I determined, therefore, that my dress should correspond with the character of the wearer; and as a beard is sure to gain for the stranger a degree of respect which he could not experience without it, and as it would save me a great deal of trouble, I at once decided to let mine grow. In the East, those who have no beard are often slighted. Thus, on a recent occasion, the Officers of the national guard having given themselves "airs," Mohammed Ali, ordered them to have "their beards shaved off," as a mark of his displeasure. The greatest indignity that can happen to a Persian, is to have his "zulfs" or curls clipped, and when a man has done any thing unworthy of himself, he is said to have "a cow's beard," -as he is supposed to have disgraced his own; and the hair which grows about the chin of a cow is always ragged, poor, and scanty. Every one knows with what veneration the Turks and Jews regard the beard; and we read that Nehemiah on his return to Jerusalem, after the Captivity, was so indignant at the misconduct of the people, that he "smote certain of them, and 302 ABOU DEGG'N, AND SCHEIKH IBRAHIM. plucked off their hair."* Many of the Arabs have no beards, therefore they honour those who have; and when a man once suffers his beard to grow, they think it a disgrace to him to cut it off. But if in Egypt it insures him respect, in Syria and the Desert it may protect his life. There is no doubt that a beard adds greatly to the dignity of the person and I cannot believe that it was designed by nature that it should be cut off. We are all creatures of habit; and those who are accustomed to see the beard, admire it. The same remark applies to the subject of dress. None who are in the habit of admiring the flowing robes of the Greeks and Romans, will, for a moment, defend the formal, studied, and prim fashions of Europe, which have neither elegance nor ease to recommend them, and assuredly nothing of the picturesque. What with our tight clothes, and beardless chins, it is no wonder that we should be considered by the Orientals "effeminate, and indecent," resembling "plucked pigeons," "singed apes," and "mangy curs," and be described by them as coming from a country in which "cloth is dear!"-Mons. Dussapp, a truly amiable and philanthropic character, who resided many years at Cairo in a medical capacity, was quite revered by the inhabitants, no less for his virtues than on account of his beard, which, like that of Sueno, the first Danish chief who invaded England, was forked. It divided into two parts, and extended to his knees: and such was its beauty and venerable aspect, that he was distinguished among the Arabs by the title of "Abou Degg'n," or " Pere de Barbe." Poor Burckhardt, who was better known in Egypt as "Scheikh Ibrahim," found his beard a great pro * Neh. xiii. 25. See also 2 Sam. x. 5.-xiv. 25, 26.-Judges xvi. 17.—and Gen. xli. 14. ARAB VENERATION OF THE BEARD. : 303 tection to him, and those who have read his Travels, will remember, that on one occasion, a certain chief doubting that he was a Mussulmaun, insulted him by pulling his beard, which was instantly resented by a blow-no further doubts were then entertained. To stroke the beard, or gently touch the end of it, is regarded as a compliment; and it is a common practice among the Arabs, thus to lay hold of it, admire, and smooth down the beard, when endeavouring to coax and flatter, or make a bargain. It throws a man off his guard, and opens his heart. An Arab would almost as soon be deprived of a limb, as be shorn of his beard for independently of the disgrace which the sons of Islam attach to such an operation, he feels that he is severed from an object to which he is bound by the strongest ties of affection. It is his constant friend and companion, let his circumstances alter as they may. He confers with it in difficulties and doubt; he imparts to it all his secrets, it affords him diversion in solitude, and in the hour of adversity and trial, it becomes his solace and resource. When thoughtful, he grasps it; when pleased, he strokes it; when vexed and excited, he pulls it. It is held sacred by every class, and it is referred to as a token of fidelity and honour. To swear by the beard, the beard of one's father, and the beard of the Prophet, is at all times sufficiently binding and he who possesses a fine beard is invariably a person of commanding exterior, and an object of respect; for he cannot be very young, and he is therefore supposed to have some wisdom, and a certain degree of experience in human affairs. In most parts of the East, those men who are by nature beardless, are considered insignificant; and in Persia, where this graceful appendage is so highly 304 66 esteemed, they become objects of ridicule, and are quaintly denominated "Birish," "No beards."— It may well be supposed, then, that any slight offered to the beard in such countries, is an unpardonable offence; and various epithets are applied by individuals, in token of their contempt or regard, according as the case may be. Thus, to "laugh at his beard," and to "make play with another man's beard," signify to mock or cajole, and are a direct insult to manhood." All these weighty considerations having caused me to decide in favour of the beard, I was now prepared to make choice of a suitable costume; and before I submitted to the operation of the tonsor, it became necessary that I should be provided with at least that part of the dress which was destined to protect my denuded pate from the sun's rays. Bradford's senti ments being in accordance with mine, we desired Mohammed to lead the way to the clothes bazaar, the Monmouth Street of Cairo, where our eyes were dazzled with such finery, that to make a selection to one's taste was by no means easy. At last, each of us * The Persians not unfrequently reproach one another by such expressions as the following:-"Your beard is long enough, you are not a child." "What is the use of a beard when an empty sconce is tied to the end of it?" And when they wish to scoff at their enemies, they seem to vie with one another in the choice of the most opprobrious and pointed terms. The following elegant specimen may suffice for the rest.—"Their very look is unclean, and their beards are not fit to be brooms to a polluted sink." "By the blessing of the prophet, a hundred dogs one after another, will make a corner stone of his beard, and every day bring their friends to follow their example." Whensoever they are offended, their desire seems to be, to vent their spleen upon the "beard," as affording them the most exquisite gratification of their malice! In like manner, they amuse themselves at the expense of the unhappy Franks, who, exhibiting not the slightest evidence of this idol of a Persian's fancy, are supposed to have been duly prepared for certain offices in their master's Harem. They hold them, therefore, in utter contempt; and it is not until through some lucky chance, the same individuals have permitted their chins to sprout, that they can bring themselves to believe that such egregious infidels did really possess the rudiments of a future beard concealed within the soil of their "dogs' skin!"' † Fraser, Morier, &c. |