DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5073#0277
266
eh'dex.
the Druzes went about saying-, "Wonderful is the
power of the English! great are the English! we too
are English!"
Some days after we reached Eh'den, the Sheikh in-
vited us to dinner, sending his nephew and five of his
head servants to conduct us in state to his house, where
he came down, as usual, to the courtyard to receive us;
as soon as we were seated in the salon, a silver basin
and ewer were brought, with embroidered towels, and
water was poured over our hands by an attendant
kneeling on one knee. When this had been performed
for each of us, another attendant brought a silver
incense-burner, over the perfumed smoke of which
each guest bent for a few seconds, while another
servant threw drops of orange-flower water over
one's head and hands. Then came trays of apricots
and orange candy, arrack and coffee, and after about
an hour we went to dinner, which was served a VEwro-
jp§erine, though the dishes were entirely Arab. The table
was set out with flowers and fruit, and the dinner,
which was handed round without being placed on the
table, consisted of twelve courses of meat, prefaced by a
thick vegetable soup, — stewed meats, boiled meats
and minced meats, vegetables stuffed with meats, and
meat stuffed with vegetables, two or three different pilafs
of rice differently flavoured, and then two sweet dishes
— one of square pieces of solidified cream (which, I am
convinced, is the same as the " cream tarts " so often
celebrated in " Arabian Nights"); the other of the
favourite Arab bakhalaiveh, a very light but rich pastry
made with honey and almonds. These were followed
by quantities of fruit, fresh and dried; besides many
varieties of excellent Lebanon wine. We had coffee
eh'dex.
the Druzes went about saying-, "Wonderful is the
power of the English! great are the English! we too
are English!"
Some days after we reached Eh'den, the Sheikh in-
vited us to dinner, sending his nephew and five of his
head servants to conduct us in state to his house, where
he came down, as usual, to the courtyard to receive us;
as soon as we were seated in the salon, a silver basin
and ewer were brought, with embroidered towels, and
water was poured over our hands by an attendant
kneeling on one knee. When this had been performed
for each of us, another attendant brought a silver
incense-burner, over the perfumed smoke of which
each guest bent for a few seconds, while another
servant threw drops of orange-flower water over
one's head and hands. Then came trays of apricots
and orange candy, arrack and coffee, and after about
an hour we went to dinner, which was served a VEwro-
jp§erine, though the dishes were entirely Arab. The table
was set out with flowers and fruit, and the dinner,
which was handed round without being placed on the
table, consisted of twelve courses of meat, prefaced by a
thick vegetable soup, — stewed meats, boiled meats
and minced meats, vegetables stuffed with meats, and
meat stuffed with vegetables, two or three different pilafs
of rice differently flavoured, and then two sweet dishes
— one of square pieces of solidified cream (which, I am
convinced, is the same as the " cream tarts " so often
celebrated in " Arabian Nights"); the other of the
favourite Arab bakhalaiveh, a very light but rich pastry
made with honey and almonds. These were followed
by quantities of fruit, fresh and dried; besides many
varieties of excellent Lebanon wine. We had coffee