. They place them without care in a kind of cradle,
which is set on the top of a camel's load. As in this situation they are
very conspicuous, they endeavour to make a show, and eclipse one
another; for this purpose they decorate the bodies of their camels with
stripes of scarlet-coloured cloth, and white rags. The four stoops which
support the body of the cradle, are adorned with leaves of copper, gilt
with gold or silver.

It is the women in general who lift the pikes of the tents, when their
husbands are resolved to move their camp. They also have the charge of
the camels under the inspection of their masters. When the husband
mounts his horse, it is his wife who holds the stirrup to him, although
she sometimes falls and hurts herself. This gives him little uneasiness,
provided, at his arrival, she is sufficiently recovered to attend him
with a bowl of butter-milk.

I have often been shocked to see one of these Arabs (who, not being rich
enough to keep a horse, having been mounted above his packages), leave
to the affrighted women the trouble of lifting up again the load which
had been thrown over, while he went to lie at his ease behind a bush.

Nothing can be more haughty than an Arab's behaviour to his wife, and
nothing more humble than that of a wife in the presence of her husband.
She is not allowed to eat with him, but, after having served him, she
retires till her husband calls upon her, to give her what he leaves.

An Arab cannot, without incivility, enter into his neighbour's tent on
any account; he calls standing at the door, and the woman who hears him
vails herself immediately, in the same manner which she does when she
passes any person. A husband would be much to blame, if, on entering
into his tent, he should lie down upon the mat which belongs to his
wife; he cannot enjoy this favour but when she is in bed. They are
indeed very attentive to their wives when with child. In every family
there is at least five or six children; and a plurality of wives being
permitted, one may easily conceive how soon these colonies become
considerable. No jealousy subsists between these rival wives, although
they all live under the same tent, and are witnesses of their husband's
embraces to each other.

The lodging which is appointed for a new married couple is adorned with
a small white flag. The bridegroom wears around his brows a bandage of
the same colour; whether it be his first or fifth marriage, he is always