In All These Ornaments They Jingle Like
Morrice-Dancers On The Slightest Motion.
They are, however, seldom seen,
being kept very close by their jealous husbands.
They delight in beads
of amber, crystal, and coral; but, having little wherewith to buy them,
they either beg them, or deal for them privately. The children, except
those of the better sort, usually, go entirely naked till of some age.
They are married at ten or twelve years old.
They call themselves mussulmen, that is, true believers in the faith
of Mahomet; and they alledge this reason for themselves, that all the
world are of their religion, and only a handful of ours. They eat their
meat on mats spread on the ground, using their hands in a very
unmannerly fashion, having neither spoons, knives, nor forks. Their
usual drink is water, yet do they drink wine in private when they can
get it; and they make at the proper season some wine of dates which is
strong and pleasant.
So much for the Arab conquerors of Socotora. They call the native
inhabitants, whom they have conquered, cafrs, or misbelievers, or
heretics, if you will, who are subjected to slavery, except some who
live in the mountains in a kind of savage liberty like wild beasts;
those who live under subjection to the Arabs not being allowed to carry
weapons of any kind. These are well-shaped, but much darker than the
Arabs, wearing nothing on their heads but their long hair, which seems
to be never cut, and staring all round as if frightened. They have a
coarse cloth of goats hair woven by themselves about their middles, and
slight sandals on their feet. The women are all dressed in smocks of
coloured calico or other coarse stuff, hanging to their feet, having
seldom any thing on their heads; but, in imitation of the Arab women,
they have manillias of iron or painted earthen ware about their legs and
arms, and strings of beads instead of carkanets about their necks,
painting their faces with yellow and black spots in a frightful manner.
According to the report of the Arabs, they are all mere heathens,
observing no marriage rites, but have their women in common. Their
native language is quite different from Arabic, which however most of
them understand. They live very miserably, many of them being famished
with hunger. They are not permitted to kill any flesh, so that they are
forced to live on such fish as they can catch in the sea, and what dates
they may procure, having no means to purchase rice, except by means of
their women prostituting themselves to the Guzerats when they reside
here. Such as are employed to keep the cattle belonging to the Arabs
maintain themselves on milk.
I could not learn of any merchandize produced in this island, except
aloes and dragon's blood; and some black ambergris is said to be got on
the shores of Abba del Curia. They could make, in my opinion, more
aloes than could be used in all Christendom, as the plant from which it
is procured grows every where in great abundance, being no other than
the semper vivum of Dioscorides, with whose description it agrees in
seed, stalk, &c. It is all of the red prickly sort, much chamferred in
the leaves, and so full of resinous juice as to be ready to burst. The
chief time of preparing the aloes is in September, when the north winds
blow, after the fall of some rain. Being gathered, it is cut in small
pieces, and cast into a pit in the ground, which is paved and cleaned
from all filth. It lies here to ferment in the heat of the sun, which
causes the juice to flow out; which is put into skins that are hung up
in the wind to dry and grow hard. They sold it to us for twenty ryals
the quintal, or 103 pounds English; but we were told afterwards that
they sold it to others for twelve, which may very well be, considering
its abundance, and the ease with which it is made. The date tree
produces ripe fruit twice a-year, one harvest being in July while we
were there. Dates are a principal part of their sustenance, being very
pleasant in taste. When thoroughly ripe, the dates are laid in a heap on
a sloping skin, whence runs a liquor into earthen pots set in the earth
to receive it. This is their date wine, with which they sometimes get
drunk. When thus drained, the stones are taken out, and the dates are
packed up very hard in skins, in which they will keep a long time. They
sometimes gather them before they are completely ripe, and dry them
after taking out the stones. These are the best of all, and eat as if
they were candied. They will not keep whole. In every valley where dates
grow, the king has a deputy during the harvest, who sees all gathered
and brought to an appointed place, no one daring to touch a date on pain
of death without order, or other severe punishment. After all are
gathered, the deputy divides the produce in three equal parts; one for
the king, one for the Arabs, and one for the cafrs; which are
distributed, but not alike to each.
Socotora has abundance of civet cats,[215] which are taken in traps in
the mountains by the cafrs, who sell them for twelve-pence each. Flesh
is dear in this island; a cow costing ten dollars, and one goat or two
sheep a dollar. Their cattle have good firm and fat beef, like those in
England. The goats are large, and have good flesh; and the sheep are
small with coarse wool. The goats and sheep are very abundant. They make
very good butter, but it is always soft like cream, and is sold for
four-pence or six-pence a pound.
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