Page 102 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

V.] TRAVELS IN OMAN. 63

they, “ and attend to their household affairs.

What business have they with reading and
writing, which is only fit for Moolahs ? ”

“ The women to the distaff, the men to their
swords,” said a venerable old man, with a
white beard, repeating a proverb which was

echoed by all present. I wished some of

their dames had been within hearing, they
would have pitched their note in a minor
key.

The females of this tribe possess a consi­

derable share of influence in all their coun­
cils, and in the absence of their Sheikh, who
had proceeded on the pilgrimage to Mecca,

his wife and sister, at this moment, governed

the tribe. Their remarks on some of our
customs were highly amusing.
“ We observed,” said they, “ that when

you sat down to table each man had before

him a small and a large glass; why apply to
the small one so often when it would save so
much trouble to fill the larger, and drink it

off at once? Why did we send the ladies
away before we had finished our wine, and

yet rise up when they left? ” &c., &c.
One of the slaves kept pounding coffee