Page 179 - Neglected Arabia (1902-1905)

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A great many of the women wear black cloth masks, which
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make them look hideous. They think it strange that we go about
without covering our heads and faces. When we tell them that
in our country it is not the custom, they say 14 Ajeeb." That is a
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common expression of surprise. One hears it many times a day.
If we expressed our surprise as readily as they, we would use it
quite as often, for many of their customs and habits are not only
entirely different from ours, but such as we cannot help but
wonder at.
i There is a spring near the hospital, where the women come to
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wash their clothes. They bring the skins in which they carry
their drinking water with them, and after the washing is finished
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: these skins are filled from this same water. I think you will feel
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i inclined to say “ Ajeeb ” at this.
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One day I went with Miss Lutton to visit some of the housep,
and a woman asked us to go with her to see a bride who was in
i the next house. This bride was a girl of thirteen, and a very
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strange sight indeed. Her hair was braided in twelve or more
braids, with huge brass bangles at the ends of those which hung
over her forehead and down the sides of her face. She also had
on a necklace of these bangles and her fingers were covered with
heavy rings. Her dress I do not remember very well, but I think
j it had what seems to be the favorite combination of colors—green,
3 . purple, orange and raigenta. The Walls of the room were hung
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with mirrors, and the floor was covered with gay rugs, and
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cushions.
The Arabs think very little of one who does not know Arabic
and so I am not considered of much use. They say to each other,
! “ She does not understand/’ or 44 She does not know” I often
hear that at the hospital. They have great confidence in Mrs.
Thoms and Mrs. Zwemer.
' 5 What impressed me most the first time I went to the hospital
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• * was that I had come to a place where workers were very much
I needed. There were about forty women, sitting on the floor,
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bare-footed, very dirty, and holding still dirtier babies. Mrs.
i! Zwemer read and talked to them as she does every morning before
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! the regular dispensary work begins. The work is intensely inter­
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esting, but it seems almost impossible to make them see the
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