DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6551#0317
OPERATIONS CARRIED ON AT GIZEH. 267
excavating at the pyramids, and that they quarrelled so
disgracefully, that the Pacha was obliged to interfere, and
to divide the ground between them.
The wedding of a Sheik's son took place in an adjoin-
ing village, and in the morning an immense concourse of
people came across the plain, no doubt in full expectation
of a backshish ; they were accompanied by a band of
music and dancing; and some of the performers were
girls, who, in addition to their usual dress, were covered
with a loose drapery composed of shawls and scarfs, which
floated in the air, as they moved about with swords in
their hands, which they brandished with violent gestures.5
The bride and her attendants were mounted upon camels ;
and horsemen fired and skirmished in various directions,
and formed an escort, which was, probably, in other times,
necessary as a defence. I gave them a few piastres,
and a pound of English gunpowder. The Shereef of
Mecca returned to Cairo.
May 2lst.—Mr. Piozan arrived to meet the Madyr,
and soon afterwards his dragoman brought us word that
that person was engaged, and could not come, which I
considered, on his own account a very happy circum-
stance, as it was extremely hot, and as the tent, which
5 I saw an extraordinary ceremony of this kind at the celebration of
a wedding in the Haouran, in which each of the women in turn figured
with a sword, and appeared to defend herself with it from the men, who
danced hand in hand in a circle around her, and pretended to approach
her with the same violent gesticulations and hoarse guttural noises that
they use in their religious performances, and, as in those exhibitions,
they did not leave off till they were in a state of complete exhaustion.
This dance is probably a very antient custom.
excavating at the pyramids, and that they quarrelled so
disgracefully, that the Pacha was obliged to interfere, and
to divide the ground between them.
The wedding of a Sheik's son took place in an adjoin-
ing village, and in the morning an immense concourse of
people came across the plain, no doubt in full expectation
of a backshish ; they were accompanied by a band of
music and dancing; and some of the performers were
girls, who, in addition to their usual dress, were covered
with a loose drapery composed of shawls and scarfs, which
floated in the air, as they moved about with swords in
their hands, which they brandished with violent gestures.5
The bride and her attendants were mounted upon camels ;
and horsemen fired and skirmished in various directions,
and formed an escort, which was, probably, in other times,
necessary as a defence. I gave them a few piastres,
and a pound of English gunpowder. The Shereef of
Mecca returned to Cairo.
May 2lst.—Mr. Piozan arrived to meet the Madyr,
and soon afterwards his dragoman brought us word that
that person was engaged, and could not come, which I
considered, on his own account a very happy circum-
stance, as it was extremely hot, and as the tent, which
5 I saw an extraordinary ceremony of this kind at the celebration of
a wedding in the Haouran, in which each of the women in turn figured
with a sword, and appeared to defend herself with it from the men, who
danced hand in hand in a circle around her, and pretended to approach
her with the same violent gesticulations and hoarse guttural noises that
they use in their religious performances, and, as in those exhibitions,
they did not leave off till they were in a state of complete exhaustion.
This dance is probably a very antient custom.