"Sans justice a king is a cloud without rain;
Sans goodness a sage is a field without grain;
Sans manners a youth is a horse taking rein;
Sans lore an old man is a waterless plain;
And bread without salt is a woman sans shame."
The other is a matron of Abyssinian descent, as her skin, scarcely darker that a gipsy's, her long and bright blue fillet, and her gaudily-fringed dress, denote. She tattoos her face[1]: a livid line extends from her front hair to the tip of her nose; between her eyebrows is an ornament representing a fleur-de-lis, and various beauty-spots adorn the corners of her mouth and the flats of her countenance. She passes her day superintending the slave-girls, and weaving mats,[2] the worsted work of this part of the world. We soon made acquaintance, as far as an exchange of salams. I regret, however, to say that there was some scandal about my charming neighbour; and that more than once she was detected making signals to distant persons with her hands.[3]
At 6 a.m. we descend to breakfast, which usually consists of sour grain cakes and roast mutton—at this hour a fine trial of health and cleanly living. A napkin is passed under my chin, as if I were a small child, and a sound scolding is administered when appetite appears deficient. Visitors are always asked to join us: we squat on the uncarpeted floor, round a circular stool, eat
- ↑ Gall-nuts form the base of the tattooing dye. It is worked in with a needle, when it becomes permanent: applied with a pen, it requires to be renewed about once a fortnight.
- ↑ Mats are the staple manufacture in Eastern, as in many parts of Western, Africa. The material is sometimes Daum or other palm: there are, however, many plants in more common use; they are made of every variety in shape and colour, and are dyed red, black, and yellow—madder from Tajurrah and alum being the the matter principally used.
- ↑ When woman addresses woman she always uses her voice.
