We then took our copy in Arabic. The sword pleased
him greatly, on account of its lightness, for he is an old man, not very
strong; and because it glittered with gold. We wrote the maker's name in
Arabic, and gave directions to have it well preserved. He inquired after
Drs. Barth and Overweg, and seemed to take great interest in our
welfare.
In the midst of our conversation a lady, one of the Sultan's female
relations, came, moved no doubt by curiosity, into the room. She was
evidently a fine dame, a person of fashion in this Saharan capital. Her
countenance, in due obedience to the requirements of _ton_, was not
"_rouged_ up to the eyes," but "_yellowed_ up to the eyes!" There cannot
be a more appalling custom. Imagine a young lady, of brown-black
complexion, daubed with brilliant yellow ochre! The paint covers the
whole face, from the roots of the hair to the lower jaw, forming two
semicircles with the upper lips. Between the eyes are three black
beauty-spots, descending perpendicularly on the bridge of the nose. The
eyebrows are blackened, and joined, so as to form one immense arch
across the face, under the yellow brow. Is it possible to disguise the
human countenance more completely?
The dark-blue cotton skirt of this lady was turned up behind over her
head, so as to form a kind of hood; but underneath she wore a coloured
petticoat. Generally, the women of Tintalous wear a frock, or chemise,
and a piece of cotton wrapper over their head and shoulders.
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