babe, wrapped in swaddling-clothes," "lying in a manger," Joseph and Mary joyfully watching over him, and the strangers and shepherds pronouncing blessings and congratulations.
When I awoke in the early morning, the level rays of the sun were streaming in at the wide-open door. The black man had gone. The Vice-Consul was sitting up on his mattress, performing his toilet under difficulties—his kawass acting as valet. The dragoman beyond was shaking the long purple silk tassel of his red tarbûsh into shape. The horses and other animals had been led away; and crowds of people stood at the door looking in. I kept quietly concealed under my quilt till my brother and all the men had disappeared; then some women came, bringing water to pour over my hands. At my request they closed the door, and the five round holes above it admitted daylight and a number of silvery-winged doves. They came one after the other, fluttered once round the room near to the rafters, and then flew away again in regular order. The women were exceedingly interested with the contents of my dressing-case, and wished to make experiments with them, but to this I decidedly objected. They had never heard of such a thing as a tooth-brush; yet their teeth—which reminded me of the teeth of wild animals, especially of the feline race—were as bright, regular, and healthy-looking as possible. Perhaps one of the causes of this is, that they invariably wash and cleanse their mouths thoroughly immediately after every meal.[1] Almost all Orientals adopt this excellent custom; but by the Moslems it is regarded as a religious and obligatory ceremony, and the act is accompanied by an ejaculatory prayer for purity. I had necessarily slept in my clothes. I shook myself into order as well as I could, and resumed my riding-habit, while the women rolled up the mattresses and lehaffs, and carried them away. Then I
- ↑ Is this custom indirectly alluded to in Amos iv, 6, where it is written: "I have given you cleanness of teeth and want of bread in all your places?"
