The glare and heat were excessive, so I gladly accepted shelter at Mr. Nicolayson's till the cool of the day, and we rode to the Talibîyeh a little before sunset. Crowds of Arabs in holiday costume were strolling on the Medan, a large extent of table-land north-west of the city, where the troops are exercised. It is the favorite promenade of the citizens.
The men's dresses were picturesque and various in the extreme, and of every tint and color, from the somber robes of the procession of monks, to the gorgeously-embroidered jackets of the Turkish officers and employés, the high-pointed hats and long gabardines of the Jews, the bright sashes and turbans of the Moslem gentleman, and the light-braided suits and red tarbûshes of the Christian Arabs. The women, who kept in groups quite apart from the men, sitting under the olive-trees or strolling into the valley below, were all shrouded in sheets, and whether Jewish, Christian, or Moslem, the only variety in their dress depended on the color of the vail or mask, and the form or color of the shoes. Some of the ladies wore European shoes, others had socks and pointed slippers of yellow leather. The black slaves wore only red or yellow slippers, and thus could be distinguished from their mistresses. A few of the ladies carried gay parasols embroidered with spangles.
By starlight we wandered to the high ground behind the Talibîyeh. We could see watch-fires on many of the hills around and on the Bethlehem plain, and heard in the still night air echoes of the clear shrill voices of far-off shepherds, who were "watching their flocks by night," and giving signals perhaps to their fellow-watchers.
On Tuesday, 10th, I again rode into town, walked down Christian-street and through the chief bazars, now descending a dirty crooked street of stairs, now passing under narrow archways, dark and dusty, and through wide, lofty arcades or bazars, where the butchers' market, the bread, fruit, grain, and leather markets were respectively held.
