exhibited in the city, that is to say, half fish, half flesh, or, in the slang before quoted, "not one thing in particular more as another." The Frenchman, who was quietly proceeding by his side, resembled a mummy so much, that he and Hogabout, together, certainly made quite a pair of spectacles. At half past one o'clock, precisely, notice was given to the "honourable body of boatmen," and their "distinguished guest," that "dinner was sarved up;" whereupon the Frenchman, with that peculiar ease of manners which is so natural to his nation, took the lead, and was proceeding to the dining room with considerable expedition, when Big Silvy clapped his huge paw on the back of his neck, told him that "those as couldn't pay their own shot, mustn't dine with their party," and very politely kicked the petrified Frenchman out of the street door. Hogabout now exhibited a degree of ferocity and ravenous intent, that had never before been remarked in him. Aunty Herringblob, eyeing him with much compassion, observed to Big Silvy, that she was sorry she had no chicken soup, or some nice little thing for that poor, lean, sickly-looking creature, inasmuch as she judged, from his looks, that he could not eat much. "Don't ye be a comin' over us vid any of them ere slim dinners as you gives us sometimes," replied Big Silvy; "that ere bloody lean fellow, as you remarks, is devouring hungry; and hunger, as you knows Aunty, is the best sarce a'ter all said and done." After placing themselves along the table, they began to survey the subjects placed for their discussion. In the middle of the table, a pair of chickens, (one of which Hogabout had already transferred to his plate, and more than half devoured) at one end a large round of beef, at the other a monstrous codfish; and for entremets, a pair of roasted ducks, and a piece of cold corned beef, together with various trenchers of vegetables, &c. passim-composed the dinner. Before the "honourable body" had supplied their plates, Hogabout had despatched the pair of chickens, to the mute astonishment of the landlady, and the no small diversion of the boatmen. The roasted ducks, which had been partly appropriated by the other guests, next attracted his attention, and disappeared in a twinkling, accom panied with a dish of onions and a plate of potatoes. The cold corned beef, together with what remained of the fish, followed. Furit ardor edendi, Perque avidas fauces, immensaque viscera regnat. The rest of the party had by this time finished their dinner, and were consequently at leisure to converse together : whereupon the following observations were made. Big Silvy. Vy, Paunch, I declares as you han't got no appefite whatsomdever. Aunty H. No appetite? I shall be ruined. Why I had enough on the table to last two days.-Little Silvy. Come, come, Aunty; none o' your old tricks-you knows the rules. The man must have his dinner. Hogabout, an't you dry?-Hog. Should'nt mind a mug o' somevot. Little Silvy. Aunty, gie him a quart of your beer, vill you?-Hog. (swallowing the beer at a draught.) Tommy Jones, I vishes you'd shove along that ere beef.-T. Jones. (placing the round of beef before Hog.) There it is Paunch, and very nice it is, I tells you. -Hog. (devouring at a mouthful a monstrous slice of it.) So it is. Aunty more bread.-Aunty H. There's no more bread in the house, and you've eaten up four whole loaves, all stark alone.-Little Silvy. Come, come, Aunty, none of your slum. You knows the rules, and I knows there's lots of bread in that ere closet.-Hog. More bread.-Aunty H. (going slowly to the closet and eyeing the remains of the round of beef.) Well I declare if he hasnt eaten it more than half up already.-Hog. More bread.-Aunty H. (handing him a loaf of bread, which he breaks in two and proceeds to masticate.) Well you may eat up the beef, but you'd better not come to my ordinar again-that's all.-Hog. More beer.-Big Silvy. Aunty, gie him a gallon of beer: I'll pay you for it.-Hog. More beer.-Big Silvy. Aunty's a gettin' on it for you Paunch. By goles, he's a'most eaten up the round of beef.-Jim Snell. Lord look down, vot a svollor the fellow's got.-Big Silvy. Hurra, Hogabout, hurra my hearty-two or three more svollors and that's done.Little Silvy. Good--good-good by gum. See how he gnaws the bone, as if he hadn't tasted a mouthful.--Hog. (having completely demolished the round of beef.) More beef.-Omnes. More beef, Aunty Herringblob, more beef.-Aunty H. My eyes! why where am I to get more beef from? He's eaten me out of house and home already.-Little Silvy. Come, come, Aunty, you knows the rules: didn't I see a ham, I vants to know, a hinging up in the larder? Mind you told me, as you found gentlemen vid as much as they could stow away in their locker.--Hog. More beef--some ham.--Omnes. Fetch out the. ham, Aunty, fetch out the ham. Poor Aunty Herringblob was unable to withstand the vociferation of the boatmen. She knew that the ham must be produced, and be demolished before her eyes, unless she could come to some amicable settlement with this tremendous eater and his employers. Having, with much difficulty, silenced the obstreperous boatmen, she informed them, in the most pathetic accent, that she was a poor widow woman, without any other means of support than her ordinary, and that the ham referred to had cost her no less than twelve shillings that very morning. She added, that she was willing, rather than offend any of her good customers, to let the man go shot free, provided he would not insist on devouring the ham, which was all that remained in her larder. To this proposal Paunch Hogabout would by no means listen. She then offered to give him six shillings, which was half the value of the ham, and to charge nothing for what he had already eaten, provided he would immediately leave her house. This offer appeared more reasonable to Hogabout, who, with the permission of the boatmen, agreed to accede to her terms, if she would add a quart of beer to seal the bargain. The unfortunate landlady, with many heavy sighs, complied with his request, and Hogabout cooled his throat with the beer and lined his pocket with the six shillings-a larger sum than he ever recollected having been master of at one time before. The triumphant party, with loud shouts of boisterous laughter, escorted the victorious champion to the wharf, where the boat was moored. Without loss of time, they sailed from the slip, and, with the assistance of a fresh northerly breeze, they quickly receded from the city towards their native shores, most vociferously yelling forth some lawless song, the burthen of which, as well as it could be heard by the wondering stragglers on the Battery, was nearly in the following words :- Life is all a variorum; Ve regards not how it goes; For the MORALITIES of the above MORAL TALE, vide post. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF the bedouin arabs, From a Manuscript of J. L. Burckhardt. [Continued from page 255.] Feasts and Games.—It is usual among the Bedouins, to kill a sheep and to feast upon it, among their own friends or family, if a slave or mare is bought by them. Among the Arabs el Kebly, the game Beyat is in great fashion. In order to play it, they draw a square in the sandy ground, which they divide by cross lines into forty-nine cases. The two players endeavour to place their pawns, (which consist generally of small lumps of goat's dung, dried in the sun,) in such a manner, that none of them ever finds itself situated on the same line between two of the adversary's. if the lat ter can move his pawns, so as to effect that object, he takes the enclosed pawn, and wins, at last, the game, by taking all his adversary's pawns. It is a complicated and difficult game, which I have seen played from morning to night, by all the idle persons of the encampment. Vaccination makes every year new progress in Syria. It was imported, some years ago, into Egypt; but soon lost again. In 1812, a more effectual attempt was made in Cairo, by Mr. Laurella, the Physician of the Prince of the Druzes, to perpetuate the vaccine; in which he was supported by the liberal spirit of the government of Mohammed Aly. Matrimony. Instead of paying a certain price for a girl, it often happens that girls are exchanged between two families. Among the Howeytat, the price of a wife is one camel: But if a Bedouin of a foreign tribe wishes to take a Howeytat girl, he is obliged to pay five camels. If the wife runs away from her husband, and returns to her family, the latter is obliged to return the camels paid for her by the husband. Divorces are still more frequent among the Howeytat than among the Aenezes. The writer was once present at a divorce, in an encampment of the Arabs Kefaga. A man had accused his wife of having purloined some corn, to exchange it at a pedler's shop, against some glass bracelets; a practice to which it appeared she had been addicted for some time. In answer to this accusation, the lady used very obstreperous language. "Take care," said he, "if "said he, "if you do not hold your tongue, I shall divorce you." Furious at his menace, she called out, " May God burn your father and your grandfather, and deprive you of fortune and health!" (a common oath of the Arabs.) He only pronounced the word Ent Taleka, or "thou art divorced," which forthwith silenced his partner. She knew that there was no remedy left; for the word was once pronounced, and could not be retracted. She collected her bundle of clothes, and walked over the way, to the tent of her father. As we were smoking our pipes, after supper, seated round a fire, the young men discussed the merits of both parties; and appeared convinced that the divorced husband would apply next morning for a certain other girl of the encampment. The sheep which is slaughtered at the espousals of the Bedouins, and by the blood of which the couple is legally mar Vol. I. No. V 45 ried, is not served up to the men, but another is killed for that purpose. It is exclusively left to the women to feed upon : for the Bedouins believe that the young married woman's dæmon, or evil spirit, has some connection with that animal; which is a sufficient reason to them not to taste of its meat. It is usual for young married couples to pay visits, during the honey moon, at the neighbouring encampments; often at several days journeys' distance. They are accompanied by all their male, and the wife by some female relations. In whatever tent they alight, two sheep are killed; one for the men, and one for the women; and this is one of the few instances where women are permitted to partake of a feast. The couple remains sometimes for a whole fortnight, travelling about in this manner. It is to be noticed, that this is the practice of those only who marry for the first time. The Southern Arabs are less chaste in their manners, as well as in their conversation, than the Aenezes. I have reason to believe that there is a good deal of loose intrigue among the Howeytat; and whenever the latter go to Jerusalem or to Cairo, they visit the public women of the town, which is not the case with the Aenezes, who come to Damascus or Aleppo. It is a law among the Arabs El Kebly, that if a wife elopes with her lover, the family of the latter is exposed to the blood revenge of the husband and his relations; for it is looked upon as much the same to kill a wife as to take her away from her family. In the discharge of that blood debt, the writer has known five girls to have been placed in the disposition of the wronged husband, which he might either marry all himself, or distribute among his relations. Instances of elopement frequently happen. Notwithstanding the facility with which the Bedouins change their women, it cannot be disputed that they are susceptible of ardent and constant love, which they prove by the most daring enterprizes, if it happens that the object of their wishes inhabits an inimical encampment. I have heard of a young man paying every night a visit to his mistress, who lived at five hours distance from him, and among his enemies; and have heard it reported of another, that after a separation of ten years from the object of his love, he was still so much enamoured, that he would not listen to any proposals of marriage with any other girls, notwithstanding the pressing demands of his parents. Nothing excites the young Bedouins more to love, than their being left alone, unobserved, for whole days, to guard the cattle of their parents, at a distance from the encampment. The boys get there acquainted with the young |