Instead Of These Carpets, Some Have Other
Floor-Cloths, According To The Quality Of The Owner.
On these they sit
when conversing or eating, like tailors on the shop-board.
The men's
heads are covered by turbans, being sashes, or long webs of thin cloth,
white or coloured, wreathed many times about. They do not uncover their
heads in making reverence, instead of which they bow their bodies,
placing the right hand on the top of the head, after which they touch
the earth with that hand, as if indicating that the party saluted may
tread upon them if he please. Those who are equals take each other by
the chin or beard, as Joab did Amasa; but salute in love, not in
treachery.
The Mahometan women, except such as are poor or dishonest, never appear
abroad. Though not fair, they are all well favoured, have their heads
covered with veils, and their hair hanging down behind, twisted with
silk. Those of quality are decorated with many jewels hung around their
necks, and about their wrists and arms; and they have several holes
round their ears in which they hang pendents, besides that every woman
has a hole in her nostrils, in which to wear a ring, which seems to have
been an ancient ornament, being mentioned in the Old Testament. Their
women are happy above all others I have ever heard of; in the ease with
which they bear their children, being one day able to ride with their
infants unborn, and to ride again the next with their child in their
arms.
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