DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5074#0076
62
AGHEEL AGHA.
The tent which he had given up to our use, of course
his own, was about six or seven feet high, of dark-brown,
camel's or goat's hair, "black as the tents of Kedar,"
closed on three sides, but open in front, and supported
by three poles; the earth was left uncovered between
our couches, and a skin of fresh water was brought in
and placed in one corner for our use. A sheep was killed
according to custom for his guests, and in about two
hours the dinner arrived, a metal basin having been
handed round just before by a black slave, and water
poured on our hands; then came a huge wooden bowl
containing abeaped-up mountain of stewed rice, covered
over and hidden under lumps of boiled mutton, with
the bones broken small, but it seemed to us as if the
meat had been taken off, — at least we never could find
any, though we gnawed the bones for some time perse-
vefingly, throwing them to the dogs when they were
done with. There is much knack in taking up the rice,—
the fingers should be lightly closed so as to grasp a little
ball of it, as otherwise the hot grease only runs down
the hand and the rice is spilled; the rice was very good,
but we burned our fingers so horribly in getting at it,
that we soon gave it up, and left off nearly as hungry
as when we began: the Agha and the slaves, with a
rudeness very unlike the fine politeness of true Be-
doueens, stood round us laughing at our awkwardness
in this new experience. They gave a small piece of
"bread to each of us, and then the bowl was lifted up
and carried to our servants, after which it was given to
the slaves, one of whom brought us a calabash of water,
and tried with much energy to rub the grease from my
fingers with a morsel of dirty soap.
A few minutes after, the Agha got up from the fire
outside the tent beside which he was sitting, and asked
AGHEEL AGHA.
The tent which he had given up to our use, of course
his own, was about six or seven feet high, of dark-brown,
camel's or goat's hair, "black as the tents of Kedar,"
closed on three sides, but open in front, and supported
by three poles; the earth was left uncovered between
our couches, and a skin of fresh water was brought in
and placed in one corner for our use. A sheep was killed
according to custom for his guests, and in about two
hours the dinner arrived, a metal basin having been
handed round just before by a black slave, and water
poured on our hands; then came a huge wooden bowl
containing abeaped-up mountain of stewed rice, covered
over and hidden under lumps of boiled mutton, with
the bones broken small, but it seemed to us as if the
meat had been taken off, — at least we never could find
any, though we gnawed the bones for some time perse-
vefingly, throwing them to the dogs when they were
done with. There is much knack in taking up the rice,—
the fingers should be lightly closed so as to grasp a little
ball of it, as otherwise the hot grease only runs down
the hand and the rice is spilled; the rice was very good,
but we burned our fingers so horribly in getting at it,
that we soon gave it up, and left off nearly as hungry
as when we began: the Agha and the slaves, with a
rudeness very unlike the fine politeness of true Be-
doueens, stood round us laughing at our awkwardness
in this new experience. They gave a small piece of
"bread to each of us, and then the bowl was lifted up
and carried to our servants, after which it was given to
the slaves, one of whom brought us a calabash of water,
and tried with much energy to rub the grease from my
fingers with a morsel of dirty soap.
A few minutes after, the Agha got up from the fire
outside the tent beside which he was sitting, and asked