■ ■ 
 
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 MEMOIES OF AN AEABIAN PKINCESS. 
 

MEMOIRS OF 
 
 AN ARABIAN PRINCESS 
 
 An Autobiography 
 
 BY 
 
 EMILY RUETE 
 
 Nee Princess of Oman and Zanzibar 
 
 NEW YORK 
 D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 
 
771 31? 
 
 * -3f 
 
 This version of " The Memoirs of an Arabian 
 Princess" is rendered from the German, in which 
 language the work originally appeared. 
 
 By transfer 
 
 U. S. Sold'ers Home Lib. 
 
 JUL 14 1936 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Nine years ago I made up my mind to write down 
 some sketches of my life for my children, who at 
 that time knew little more about my origin than that 
 I was an Arabian and a native of Zanzibar. Tired 
 out in body and in mind, I did not then expect to 
 live to bp. able to tell them, when they had grown up, 
 of the many changes in my life, and of the recollec- 
 tions of my youth. I therefore resolved to write my 
 memoirs for them, and this I have done for love and 
 devotion to my children, whose affection has been my 
 only solace for many long and anxious years, and 
 whose tender sympathy has kept me from despair in 
 my heaviest troubles. 
 
 Originally, therefore, my memoirs were not intended 
 for the general public, but for my dear children alone, 
 to whom I desired to bequeath the same, in token of 
 a fond mother's love, and I^only yielded to the re- 
 peatedly expressed wishes of many friends in having 
 them published now. 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 These pages were concluded years ago — with the 
 exception of the last chapter, which was added re- 
 cently, after a voyage I was permitted to undertake, 
 with my children, to my old home, Zanzibar, in the 
 course of last year. 
 
 May this book, then, go out into the world and gain 
 as many friends as it has always been my good fortune 
 to make for myself ! 
 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
 I. BET IL MTONI . 
 
 PAGE 
 1 
 
 15 
 
 26 
 
 II. BET IL WATORO • 
 
 III. A DAY AT BET IL SAHEL • . • < 
 
 IV. OUR LIFE AT BET IL WATORO AND AT BET IL SAD. EL 37 
 
 V. REMOVAL TO BET IL TANI • 
 
 VI. DAILY LIFE IN OUR HOUSE 
 VII. OUR MKAT.S ...... 
 
 43 
 
 48 
 57 
 
 VIII. BIRTH AND FIRST YEARS OF THE LIFE OF A PRINCE 
 
 AND PRINCESS . . . . .61 
 
 IX. SCHOOLING IN THE EAST .... 72 
 
 X. YEARLY OUTFIT. TOILET AND FASHION IN OUR HOUSE- 
 HOLD ...... 81 
 
 XI. A PLANTATION ...... 87 
 
 XII. MY FATHER'S VOYAGE .... 95 
 
 XIII. DEATH-NEWS ...... 104 
 
 XIV. OUR MOURNING . . . . . 110 
 XV. ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS . . 117 
 
 XVI. WOMAN'S POSITION IN THE EAST . . . 146 
 
Vlll CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAP. PAGE 
 XVII. ARAB MATCHMAKING ..... 1C3 
 
 XVIII. AN ARAB LADY'S CALL . . . . 171 
 
 XIX. THE AUDIENCE. INTERCOURSE BETWEEN GENTLEMEN 178 
 
 XX. THE LONG FAST ..... 183 
 
 XXI. THE LITTLE FESTIVAL . . . . 1S9 
 
 XXII. THE GREAT FESTIVAL .... 197 
 
 XXIII. AN OFFERING AT THE SPRING TSCHEMSCHEM . 202 
 
 XXIV. DISEASES AND MEDICAL TREATMENT. POSSESSED 
 
 PEOPLE ..... 
 
 XXV. SLAVERY . . . • • 
 
 XXVI. MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION . 227 
 
 XXVII. KISIMBANI AND BUBUBU . . • 255 
 
 XXVIII. MY LAST RESIDENCE IN ZANZIBAR . . • 2G4 
 
 XXIX. GREAT CHANGES ..... 270 
 
 XXX. SEJID BARGASCH IN LONDON . . • 274 
 
 XXXI. RE-VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS 282 
 
 208 
 
 218 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 BET IL MTONI. 
 
 In Bet il Mtoni, the oldest of our palaces in the 
 island of Zanzibar, I was born, and there I lived until 
 the age of seven. 
 
 Bet il Mtoni, distant about five miles from the city 
 of Zanzibar, lies on the sea coast, surrounded by most 
 beautiful scenery, and quite hidden in a grove of palm 
 and mango trees, and other gigantic specimens of 
 tropical vegetation. The "house of my birth is called 
 " Mtoni house," after the little river Mtoni, which 
 rises only a few miles inland, runs through the whole 
 palace into numerous fountains, and flows directly 
 behind the palace walls into the splendid and ani- 
 mated inlet which severs the island from the African 
 continent. • 
 
 Only one large-sized courtyard divides the numerous 
 buildings of Bet il Mtoni, which, on account of their 
 heterogeneous styles, invented as occasion required, 
 with their numberless and puzzling passages, must 
 be called, on the whole, ugly rather than beautiful. 
 
 I do not distinctly remember now the arrangement 
 of the vast number of rooms these buildings contained, 
 but I can well recall to my mind the large bathing 
 
* MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 accommodation at Bet il Mtoni. There were a dozen 
 baths in one row at the extreme end of the courtyard, 
 and in rainy weather these popular resorts could only 
 be reached under the shelter of an umbrella. Apart 
 from them lay what was called the " Persian" bath, 
 a Turkish steam bath, whose ingenious and tasteful 
 architecture was unequalled in Zanzibar. 
 
 • Each bathing house contained two baths, five yards 
 long by four yards wide, and just deep enough to let 
 the water come up to the breast of a grown-up person. 
 
 These refreshing baths were a favourite resort with 
 all people in the house ; most of them stayed in them 
 for many hours every day, to pray, sleep, work, and 
 read there, even to take their meals ; and from four 
 o'clock in the morning till midnight they were never 
 once empty. 
 
 On entering these bath-houses, which are all alike, 
 two raised resting-places may be observed to the right 
 and left for prayer and repose, which are covered with 
 the finest coloured mats. Every other article of 
 luxury, such as carpets, was banished from these 
 rooms. Every Muslim (Mahometan) requires a 
 separate and perfectly clean dress for prayers, in- 
 tended only for this purpose, and which ought to be 
 quite white. Of course this rather inconvenient re- 
 ligious precept is only followed by extremely devout 
 persons. 
 
 The places of repose are separated by narrow 
 arcades from the bath-rooms, which are all in the 
 open air ; two arched bridges of stone, with steps 
 gradually rising, lead again to other rooms lying 
 apart. 
 
 ;. 
 
BET IL MTONI. «* 
 
 Each bath-room was allotted to a special set of 
 occupants ; woe to the person who did not keep within 
 her proper bounds ! A very rigorous spirit of caste 
 ruled at Bet il Mtoni, which was observed by high 
 and low alike. 
 
 Tall orange trees, as high as the largest cherry trees 
 in these parts, throve in dense rows in front of the 
 bath-houses ; their branches often sheltered us while 
 young, when we were afraid of punishment from our 
 excessively strict teacher. 
 
 Man and beast lived amicably together in the large 
 courtyard, without being in the least inconvenienced 
 by each other's presence — peacocks, gazelles, guinea- 
 fowls, flamingoes, geese, ducks, and ostriches roamed 
 about in perfect liberty, and were petted and fed by 
 old and young. . We children vastly enjoyed hunting 
 out the many eggs that lay about here and there, 
 especially the large ostrich eggs, and to hand them 
 over to the bead cook, who would reward us with 
 presents of sweetmeats. 
 
 Twice a day, early in the morning and in the even- 
 ing, all children above five years of age had riding 
 lessons in this court from one of the eunuchs, during 
 which the members of our little zoological garden 
 roamed about as freely as, ever. When we had made 
 sufficient progress in this art, we were each mounted 
 by our father. The boys got permission to choose a 
 horse from the royal stud, while we girl3 received 
 large white donkeys from Mesket, which are often 
 much more expensive than horses. Of course we 
 were provided with a complete harness for these 
 handsome beasts at the same time. 
 
4 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 Our chief amusement in these family houses con- 
 sisted in taking long rides, as we had neither theatri- 
 cals nor concerts to entertain us. "We frequently had 
 races in the countiy, which as frequently ended in an 
 accident. Once I nearly lost my life in such a race. 
 Afraid of being overtaken by my brother Hamdam, I 
 had paid no attention to a very large -crooked cocoa 
 tree right in my way, and my forehead had almost 
 come in contact with its stem before I had even 
 noticed it. Quick as thought I threw myself 
 back, and in this way mercifully escaped a horrid 
 death. 
 
 The numerous flights of stairs were one of the pecu- 
 liarities of Bet il Mtoni, which were unusually steep, 
 and had huge steps, apparently made for a race of 
 giants. Straight up they went, without a turning or 
 a landing place ; one's only assistance a very primitive 
 kind of railing, which, being in constant use, needed 
 as constant repair. I remember even now how all 
 the people living in our wing of the house were 
 frightened one morning when both railings of our 
 stone staircase were found to be missing, and I am 
 yet surprised that of the many persons passing up 
 and down no one came to grief. 
 
 Statistics being a thing quite unknown in Zanzibar, 
 nobody of course could tell how many people actually 
 lived in our house. I think I do not exaggerate, how- 
 ever, in estimating the total number of inhabitants at 
 Bet il Mtoni at one thousand. To understand this it 
 must be remembered that great numbers of servants 
 are employed in the East by all people of quality and 
 by those who want to appear rich. At least an equal 
 
 1- 
 
BET IL MTONI. 5 
 
 number of persons were lodged in my father's city 
 palace, Bet il Saliel, or " Strandkouse." 
 
 In the wing nearest to the sea at Bet il Mtoni were 
 the apartments of my father, Sejid Said, Imam of 
 Mesket and Sultan of Zanzibar, and those of his prin- 
 cipal wife, who was a distant relation of his. He 
 resided, however, only four days a week in the country 
 with us, and the remainder he spent in his city palace, 
 Bet il Sahel. The title " Imam" is a religious dignity, 
 which is but rarely conferred on a sovereign. Origi- 
 nally we owe this distinction to our great-grandfather 
 "Ahmed" ; the title has since that time been hereditary 
 in our family, and every member of it is authorized 
 to append it to his signature. 
 
 Being one of his younger children I only remember 
 my father with his venerable, snow-white beard. He 
 was above middle height, his features had a very 
 fascinating and engaging expression, and his whole 
 appearance commanded respect. In spite of his war- 
 like propensities and his delight in conquest, he was 
 a model father and sovereign. Justice he valued as 
 the highest of all things, and in this respect he knew 
 no difference of person, not even between one of his 
 own sons and the lowest slave. He humbled himself 
 before God ; nor was he self-conceited and proud like 
 so many high-born people. It happened, and not 
 rarely either, that he would ride over by himself to 
 the wedding of a simple slave, who had gained his 
 regard by many years of loyal service, to offer his 
 congratulations to the young couple in person. He 
 always used to call me, " Old woman," as I was very 
 fond of cold milk soup (Arab, " farni "), wLxch is 
 
6 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 the favourite meal of all our old and toothless 
 people. 
 
 My mother was a Circassian by birth, who in early 
 youth had been torn away from her home. Her father 
 had been a farmer, and she had always lived peace- 
 fully with her parents and her little brother and 
 sister. War broke out suddenly, and the country was 
 overrun by marauding bands ; on their approach the 
 family fled into an underground place, as my mother 
 called it — she probably meant a cellar, which is not 
 known in Zanzibar. Their place of refuge was, how- 
 ever, invaded by a merciless horde, the parents were 
 slain, and the children carried off by three mounted 
 Arnauts. One of these, with her elder brother, soon 
 disappeared out of sight; the other two, with my 
 mother and her little sister, three years old, crying 
 bitterly for her mother, kept together until evening, 
 when they too parted, and my mother never heard 
 any more of the lost ones as long as she lived. 
 
 She came into my father's possession when quite a 
 child, probably at the tender age of seven or eight 
 years, as she cast her first tooth in our house. She 
 was at once adopted as playmate by two of my sisters, 
 her own age, with whom she was educated and brought 
 up. Together with them she learnt to read, which 
 raised her a good deal above her equals, who,* as a 
 rule, 'became members of our family at the age of six- 
 teen or eighteen years, or older still, when they had 
 outgrown whatever taste they might once have had 
 for schooling. She could scarcely be called pretty, 
 but she was tall and shapely, had black eyes, and 
 hair down to her knees. Of a very gentle disposition, 
 
BET IL MTONI. 7 
 
 her greatest pleasure consisted in assisting other 
 people, in looking after and nursing any sick per- 
 son in the house ; and I well remember her going 
 about with her books from one patient to another, 
 reading prayers to them. 
 
 She was in great favour with my father, who never 
 refused her anything, though she interceded mostly 
 for others, and, when she came to see him, he always 
 rose to meet her half-way — a distinction he conferred 
 but very rarely. She was as kind and pious as she 
 was modest, and in all her dealings frank and open. 
 She had had another daughter besides myself, who 
 had died quite young. Her mental powers were not 
 great, but she was very clever at needlework. She 
 has always been a tender and loving mother to me, 
 but this did not hinder her from punishing me 
 severely when she deemed it necessary. 
 
 She had many friends at Bet il Mtoni, which is 
 rarely to be met with in an Arab harem. She had 
 the most unshaken and firmest trust in God. When I 
 was about five years old I remember a fire breaking 
 out in the stables close by, one night while my father 
 was at his city residence. A false alarm spread over 
 the house that we, too, were in imminent danger; upon 
 which the good woman hastened to take me on one 
 arm, and her big Ktiran (we pronounce the word thus) 
 on the other, and hurried into the open air. On the 
 rest of her possessions she set no value in this hour 
 of danger. 
 
 My father had only one Horme (plural Harino), or 
 legitimate wife, at my time, as far as I recollect; his 
 other wives, or Sarari (singular Surie), numbering 
 
8 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 seventy-five at his death, had all been purchased by 
 him gradually, and the former, his first wife, Azze 
 bint Sef, a princess of Oman by birth, reigned as 
 absolute mistress over the household. In spite of 
 her very small size, and of her plain exterior, she 
 possessed an immense power over my father, who 
 willingly submitted to all her arrangements. She 
 treated all the other wives and their children in a 
 very imperious, haughty, and pretentious manner; 
 happily for us she had no children of her own, who 
 could not have failed to be- as disagreeable in their 
 way ! All my father's children, thirty-six in number, 
 when he died, were by his Sarari, and there was 
 consequently no difference between us. 
 
 Bibi (mistress, lady) Azze, who had to be addressed 
 as ''Highness" (Sijjide),** was feared by old and 
 young, by high and low, and liked by no one. Even 
 now I remember her well, and how stiffly she used to 
 pass by without a kind word to any one. How 
 different was my dear old father ! He talked kindly 
 to everybody, no matter what rank the person ad- 
 dressed might be. My exalted stepmother knew 
 very well how to keep her station, nor did any 
 one dare to approach her without her own invitation 
 or encouragement. I never saw her walk about 
 without a retinue, except when she went with my 
 father to the bath-house, which was set apart for 
 their special use. All who met her in the house 
 were as deferential to her as a recruit to his officer. 
 
 Though her imperiousness was felt very acutely by 
 
 * Bibi is Sualiely ; Sejjide, Arabian, Both words mean "High- 
 ness." 
 
 i 
 
BET IL MTONI. 9 
 
 all, it had not sufficient power to deprive the residents 
 at Bet il Mtoni of all charms of life. My brothers 
 and sisters, of all ages, were supposed to go every day 
 and wish her. good morning; but rarely were her 
 vanity and pride gratified by more than one visitor 
 at the appointed time — before her breakfast hour — so 
 greatly was she disliked by us all. 
 
 My older brothers and sisters lived at Bet il 
 Mtoni ; some of them, Schecha and Zuene, for 
 instance, were old enough to have been my grand- 
 mothers. The latter had a son, Ali bin Suut, whose 
 beard had turned grey already when I knew him first ; 
 she was a widow, and had found a shelter in her 
 paternal home after the death of her husband. 
 
 It is generally believed by Europeans that with us 
 the sons are greatly preferred to the daughters ; but 
 such was not the case in our family. I know not a 
 single instance in which the son was more liked by 
 father or mother, merely because he happened to be 
 a son. Though the law in some cases favours sons 
 more than daughters, and grants them larger privi- 
 leges — as, for instance, in the division of inheritances — 
 yet the children are everywhere loved and treated 
 alike. It is, of course, but natural, and only human, 
 that in the South, as well as all over the world, 
 one child, whether boy or girl, is secretly more beloved 
 by his parents than the other, but this is never shown 
 openly. It was thus with our father also; for the 
 two of his children he loved best were not sons, but 
 daughters, Scharife and Chole. When I was nine 
 years old I was once wounded in the side by an 
 
 arrow, by my wild brother Hamdam, who was about 
 
 2 
 
10 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 my own age ; fortunately the hurt was not a severe 
 one. As soon as my father heard of this affair, he 
 said to me : "Salme, go and call Hamdam." And the 
 boy was so terribly scolded for his misbehaviour, that 
 he remembered it for a long time after. This in- 
 stance proves how greatly people are often mis- 
 informed on foreign matters. It stands to reason 
 that a good deal depends everywhere upon the children 
 themselves, and it would wrong good children to treat 
 them in the same way as bad ones. 
 
 The Bendjle was the prettiest spot at Bet il Mtoni. 
 It was an immense round tower in front of the main 
 building, and close to the sea, large enough for a 
 ball, had such a thing been known in our countiy. 
 It looked very much like a gigantic merry-go-round, 
 with a vaulted ceiling in the same style as the building. 
 The entire framework, the floor, railing, and the tent- 
 like ceiling were constructed of painted wood. My 
 dear father used to walk up and down in this place 
 for hours and hours together, plunged in deep 
 thought, and with head bent down. A bullet which 
 he received in battle, and had settled in the hip, 
 caused him frequent pain, and made him limp a little. 
 
 Some dozens of cane chairs were placed all about 
 this lofty balcony, and a large telescope was put up 
 for general use. The view from this raised " Bendjle " 
 was surpassingly beautiful. Several times during 
 the day my father, Azze bint Sef, and all his grown- 
 up children would take their coffee here. Any one 
 wishing to speak to my father privately would be 
 sure of finding him here alone for several hours in 
 the day. 
 
BET IL MTONI. 11 
 
 11 Rahmdni, a man-of-war, was anchored off the 
 Bendjle all the year round, whence they fired the signals 
 in the fasting season; the crews required for the 
 many rowing boats had their quarters there. A tall 
 flagstaff was erected on the shore to signal whenever 
 these boats and crews were wanted. 
 
 Both at Bet il Mtoni and at Bet il Sahel the meals 
 were cooked in the Arab as well as in the Persian and 
 Turkish manner. People of all races lived in these 
 two houses — the races of various beauty. The slaves 
 were dressed in Suahely style, but we were permitted 
 to appear in Arab fashion alone. . Any newly-arrived 
 Circassian or Abyssinian woman had to exchange her 
 ample robes and fantastic attire vdthin three days for 
 the Arab costume provided for her. 
 
 Bonnets and gloves are no less indispensable 
 articles of toilet to any Western lady or woman of 
 respectability than jewellery is to us. Trinkets are 
 considered so necessary, that even beggar-women 
 may be seen plying their trade decked out in them. 
 My father had special treasure chambers in both his 
 houses at Zanzibar, and in his palace at Mesket, in 
 Oman, amply stocked with sovereigns and gold pieces 
 of Spanish and other coinage ; besides these, 
 however, they contained large assortments of 
 feminine adornments, from the simplest article to the 
 diamond- set crown, expressly procured to serve as 
 presents. Each time an increase to the family had 
 taken place, either by the purchase of a Sarari, or by 
 the frequent births of princes or princesses, the 
 doors of these chambers were opened, to take out 
 presents for the new arrival according to its rank and 
 
12 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 station. On the seventh day after the birth of a child 
 my father used to pay a "visit to the infant and its 
 mother to present some article of jewellery to the 
 baby. In the same way a new Surie received at once 
 the necessary jewels, and had her servants assigned 
 to her by the chief eunuch. 
 
 Though himself very simple in all his ways, my 
 father w r as very particular about all people around 
 him. No one was permitted to appear before him 
 except in full dress, and this was the rule with his 
 children as well as with the youngest eunuch. The 
 little girls used to wear their hair in thin plaits, as 
 many as twenty sometimes, w r ith the ends collected 
 together, and a heavy gold ornament, set with precious 
 stones, suspended from their centre. Sometimes a 
 gold coin was attached to each plait, which looked 
 much prettier. These ornaments were taken off at 
 bedtime, and re-attached in the morning. The girls 
 had their hair dressed in this pony fashion up to the 
 period when they had to go about veiled. Once I ran 
 off to my father without these ornaments in my hair- 
 dress, to get some of the French sweetmeats he used 
 to give us every morning. Instead of obtaining these, 
 however, I was promptly sent back in charge of a 
 servant — I had appeared before him not properly 
 dressed ; but I took good care never again to commit 
 the same offence. 
 
 My sister Zejane and my stepmother Medine w r ere 
 my mother's most intimate friends. Zejane was 
 the daughter of an Abyssinian ; Medine, a Circassian, 
 who came from the same part of the country as my 
 mother, like Sara, another stepmother of mine 
 
BET IL MTONI. 13 
 
 Sara's two children were my brother Madjid and my 
 sister Chadudj, of whom the former was the junior by 
 some years. My mother and Sara had solemnly 
 promised each other, that whoever survived the other 
 should replace her with her children. Chadudj and 
 Madjid, however, were nearly full-grown when Sara 
 died, and they did not need my mother's help as long 
 as they lived in their paternal home. It was the 
 custom in our family for boys up to the age of eighteen 
 or twenty to remain with their mothers in our father's 
 house, and to submit to the general house rules. At 
 about this stage of life each prince was pronounced 
 of age, though this depended entirely upon his 
 behaviour. When of age he was numbered amongst 
 the gi'own-up people — an honour which was always 
 eagerly coveted. A separate residence was then 
 assigned to him, together with horses, servants, and 
 everything else he required, also an adequate monthly 
 allowance. 
 
 My brother Madjid had now obtained this honour, 
 more on account of his conduct than of his age. He 
 was very modest, and won all hearts by his kind and 
 gentle manners. Not a week passed but he rode over 
 from the city (he lived at Bet il Sahel with his 
 mother) to see us, and he always liked to play with 
 me, though he was my senior by twelve years. 
 
 He came over perfectly delighted one day to tell 
 my mother that he had just been pronounced of age, 
 and that, being his own master now, he had received 
 a house of his own. He insisted at the same time 
 upon our removing to his new place to live with him, 
 and he was joined in this request by Chadudj. My 
 
1-1 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 mother begged him to consider that she could not 
 well accede to his wishes without first consulting my 
 father, but promised to inform him of the result as 
 soon as she had done so. On her part she declared 
 herself willing to live with him as long as it suited 
 both himself and his sister. Madjid at once offered 
 to save her all trouble by speaking himself to my 
 father, and next day, indeed, he informed us that the 
 latter had given his consent. Our removal being thus 
 settled, it was arranged, after a long consultation, that 
 we were to take up our new residence with him in the 
 course of a few days, after he had completed all 
 necessary arrangements at his place. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 BET IL WATOEO. 
 
 My mother did not find it easy to reconcile herself to 
 the prospect of her impending removal. She was 
 very much attached to Bet il Mtoni, where she had 
 lived from her childhood; she was not fond of any 
 change, and was very much afflicted by the separation 
 from Zejane and from my stepmother Medine. She 
 told me, however, afterwards that her own scruples 
 had been outweighed by the consideration of making 
 herself useful to the children of her dear departed 
 friend. 
 
 As soon as it became known that she had decided 
 to remove to town, every person she met cried out, 
 " Have you lost all trust in us, Djilfidan, that you are 
 going to leave us for ever ? " " Oh, my friends," she 
 replied, " I do not leave you of my own free will, but 
 it is my fate to part from you ! " 
 
 I am sure a good many people will shake their 
 heads with a feeling of pity on reading the word " fate." 
 Maybe such persons have hitherto shut their eyes and 
 their ears to the will of God, and have spurned to take 
 any notice of it, laying a far greater stress upon what 
 they call chance. It should be borne in mind, how- 
 
16 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 ever, that I once was a Mahometan, and grew up as 
 such. I am, moreover, speaking of Arab life, of an 
 Arab home, and there are two things above all quite 
 unknown in a real Arab house, the word " chance " 
 and materialism. The Mahometan not only believes 
 in God as his Creator and Preserver, but he is con- 
 vinced at all times of His presence, and he feels like- 
 wise sure that not his own will, but the will of the 
 Lord is done in little things as well as in great. 
 
 It took us some days to complete all our arrange- 
 ments, and then we waited for Madjid's return, who was 
 to arrange about our journey. I had had one brother 
 and two sisters, all nearly of my own age, as com- 
 panions at Bet il Mtoni, and I was very sorry to leave 
 them, little Ealub in particular, who had been greatly 
 attached to me ; on the other hand, I was right glad of 
 the opportunity of getting away from our excessively 
 severe teacher. 
 
 Our large room looked something like a beehive 
 during the parting scenes with so many friends and 
 acquaintances ; everybody brought a parting gift in 
 proportion to his means and affection. This is a cus- 
 tom very much in use with us, for no Arab will deny 
 himself the pleasure of presenting a parting gift to his 
 friend, even if hehas nothing to givebut the merest trifle. 
 I remember a case in point which occurred in my early 
 youth. We had made an excursion from Bet il Mtoni 
 to one of our estates, and were just about to step into 
 our boats to return home, when I felt some one tugging 
 at my dress from behind. Turning round, I saw a 
 very old negro woman, who handed me a parcel, 
 wrapped in plantain leaves, with the words, " This 
 
BET IL WATORO. 17 
 
 trifle is my parting gift to you, bibijangu (my mis- 
 tress), it is the first ripe fruit of my garden." Undoing 
 the leaves, I found they enclosed — one cob of newly- 
 gathered Indian corn. I did not know the poor old 
 woman at all, but afterwards she proved to have been 
 an old protegee of my mother's. 
 
 Madjid arrived at last with the news that the cap- 
 tain of the Rahmdni had been ordered to send a 
 cutter for us next evening, and another boat for our 
 luggage and for the servants who were to accompany 
 us to the city. 
 
 My father happened to be at Bet il Mtoni at the 
 time, and next day my mother went up with me to bid 
 him good-bye. We found him walking up and down 
 the Bendjle as usual, and he came at once to meet us 
 as soon as he saw us. My parents began talking at 
 once about our journey, and, to stop the many questions 
 with which I continually interrupted them, one of the 
 attending eunuchs was ordered to bring me sweets and 
 sherbet. I was of course very curious to know some- 
 thing about our new home and about life in town. I 
 had only once been there for a very short time, and 
 had not even seen all my brothers and sisters, nor my 
 numerous stepmothers who lived there. 
 
 We then went to the apartments of my august step- 
 mother to take leave of her. Azze bint Sef was 
 graciously pleased to dismiss us standing, which with 
 her was a great honour, as she always remained 
 seated when she received people. We were also per- 
 mitted to kiss her hand before turning our back upon 
 her for ever. 
 
 We had still to run up and downstairs a good many 
 
18 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 times to shake bands with all our friends, of whom, 
 however, we met but few in their rooms. My mother 
 resolved, therefore, to say good-bye to them after 
 prayers, which all had to attend. 
 
 The cutter lay off the Bendjle ready to receive us 
 at 7 p.m. ; it was a fine big boat with a crew of 
 fourteen oarsmen, with an awning over the stern, 
 carrying our standard — a plain, blood-red flag. The 
 passenger seats were covered with pretty silk cushions 
 for ten to twelve persons. 
 
 Old Djohar, a trusty eunuch, came to report every- 
 thing ready to my father, who was watching our 
 departure from the Bendjle, and took the helm ; he 
 was to convey us to our new destination in company 
 with another eunuch. All our friends in tears accom- 
 panied us as far as the house door, and their cries, 
 " Wecla, wecla " (farewell, farewell), ring in my ears to 
 this very day. 
 
 There was no landing pier on the flat shore, and we 
 had to get into the boat either by being carried in a 
 chair or by walking through the dry sand and over a 
 plank ; my mother got into the cutter in this manner, 
 attended on both sides by some eunuchs, while another 
 carried me in his arms and placed me in the stern 
 sheets. The light of the coloured hanging-lanterns in 
 the boat, together with the glittering stars above, cast 
 a magic brightness over the sea, and the oarsmen 
 pulled away, keeping time by the tune of a melan- 
 choly Arab song. 
 
 We kept close in shore, and I was soon fast asleep 
 in my mother's lap* I was suddenly and rather 
 roughly roused up by a number of persons calling out 
 
BET IL WATORO. 19 
 
 my name ; very much frightened and half asleep yet, 
 I learned that we had arrived at our journey's end. 
 We were just below the lighted-up windows of Bet il 
 Sahel, which were occupied by crowds of people — they 
 were my stepmothers and sisters with their mothers, 
 most of whom I had never seen before, and who were 
 curious to have a look at me. My mother told me 
 they had commenced crying but my name as soon as 
 the boat had come in sight. 
 
 On landiug, I w 7 as received by my young brothers 
 in a very lively manner. They wanted us to go with 
 them at once, but my mother had to decline, as she 
 did not wish to keep Chadudj waiting, who was 
 watching our arrival from her house. I was very sorry 
 that I was not allowed to join my young relations at 
 once, but my mother remained firm, and I w r as con- 
 soled by the promise that w r e were to spend a day at 
 Bet il Sahel as soon as my father had returned to it. 
 
 We therefore passed on to get to Madjid's residence, 
 Bet il Watoro, which was close by, and from which 
 there w r as also a splendid view over the sea. Chadudj 
 received us at the bottom of the staircase and bid us 
 heartily w r elcome : she conducted us to our rooms, and 
 her chief eunuch, Ernan, brought in some refresh- 
 ments. Madjid was below in his reception room with 
 his friends, waiting for permission to come up and 
 join us. How delighted he was, good, noble fellow, to 
 welcome us in his new home ! 
 
 Our own room was of but middling size, and looked 
 out on the mosque close by. It was furnished like all 
 Arab apartments, and there was nothing wanting to 
 our comfort. As the dresses worn by day are not 
 
20 MEMOIRS OP AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 taken off at night, and all Arabs of standing are 
 accustomed to the strictest cleanliness, there is no 
 need for separate bedrooms, and the room allotted to 
 us quite sufficed for our wants. 
 
 Kich and distinguished people generally furnish 
 their houses in the following style : Persian carpets 
 or very fine and soft matting cover the floors ; the 
 thick, whitewashed walls are divided from floor to 
 ceiling into several partitions by deep recesses ; these 
 recesses are again subdivided by shelves of wood, 
 painted green, forming a kind of open cabinet. Upon 
 these shelves are symmetrically ranged the choicest 
 and most expensive objects of glass and china. To 
 an Arab nothing can be too costly to decorate these 
 shelves ; a handsome cut glass, a plate beautifully 
 painted, or an elegant and tasteful jug, may cost any 
 price ; if they look pretty they are sure to be pur- 
 chased. 
 
 The bare and narrow walls between the recesses are 
 carefully concealed by large mirrors reaching from 
 the low divans to the ceiling ; these mirrors are gene- 
 rally expressly ordered from Europe. As a rule, 
 pictures are prohibited to a Mahometan as imitations 
 of Divine creation : of late, however, they are tolerated 
 now and then. Clocks, again, are in great favour 
 everywhere, and some houses contain quite a rich 
 collection of them; they are placed above and in 
 pairs on each side of the mirrors. The walls of the 
 gentlemen's rooms are decorated with costly weapons 
 from Arabia, Persia, and Turkey, and this is done by 
 every Arab according to his means. 
 , A large curtained bed of rosewood, of Indian work- 
 
BET IL WAT0R0. 21 
 
 manship, very prettily carved all over, is placed in 
 one corner of the room. Arab beds are very high, 
 and to get into them it is necessary to mount upon a 
 chair or to call in the assistance of a chambermaid. 
 The empty space beneath is often occupied by the 
 children's or sick nurse. 
 
 Tables are rarely seen, and only in the houses of 
 people of high station, but there are chairs of all 
 kinds and colours. Wardrobes, chests of drawers, 
 and the like are not in use ; we had, however, a chest 
 or trunk with two or three drawers, and a secret 
 drawer to put away money and -jewellery. 
 
 Windows and doors stand open all the year during 
 the day ; they are only shut for a short time daring 
 the rainy season. In our country we do not at all 
 understand what " draught " means. 
 
 At first I did not like our new residence at all ; I 
 missed my^ young brothers and sisters very much, and 
 Bet il Watoro appeared to me very small compared to 
 gigantic Bet il Mtoni. I was by no means pleased 
 that I was to stay here for ever. I could not sail my 
 boats here, unless I chose to do so in a washtub, as 
 there was no river near, and' all water had to be 
 fetched from a well outside the house. My dear 
 mother, whose greatest pleasure was to give away all 
 she possessed, wanted me to send my beautiful sail- 
 ing boats to my brothers at Bet il Mtoni, but I could 
 not make up my mind to do that at once. For the 
 first time in my life I felt indeed very unhappy and 
 downcast. 
 
 My mother, on the other hand, soon reconciled her- 
 self to her new duties, and was so busily engaged all 
 
22 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 day in directing and arranging things in company 
 with Chadudj, that she did not even find time to look 
 after me. Dear Madjid alone took some trouble about 
 me, and showed me over the house from top to 
 bottom ; but nothing could please me, I was per- 
 fectly indifferent to everything, and I urged my 
 mother incessantly to return at once to Bet il Mtoni 
 and to my dear relations there. This could not be 
 done, of course, and the less so as she really proved a 
 great help to my brother and sister. 
 
 Fortunately I soon discovered Madjid to be a great- 
 friend of all kinds of live beasts, of which he had quite 
 a collection, amongst others any number of white 
 rabbits, which spoiled the new house completely, 
 much to the annoyance of my mother and sister. 
 He also kept a great many fighting cocks of all 
 countries ; I have never again seen such a fine col- 
 lection together, not even in zoological gardens. 
 
 I was soon his constant companion on his visit to his 
 favourites, and he was kind enough to let me share in 
 all his amusements. Before long I owned a number 
 of fighting cocks myself, and I felt not quite so lonely 
 now at Bet il Watoro. We inspected our champions 
 nearly every day, which were led up and down by 
 servants. A cockfight is, indeed, by no means an un- 
 interesting affair — it is very entertaining, as it takes 
 up the entire attention of the spectator, and often it 
 is intensely amusing. 
 
 Afterwards he gave me fencing lessons with swords, 
 daggers, and lances, and taught me to practise with 
 gun and pistol when we went into the country. In 
 fact he made quite an amazon of me, greatly to the 
 
BET IL WATOItO. 23 
 
 distress of my dear mother, who declined to learn 
 anything about fencing and shooting. All this, of 
 course, did not improve my taste for fancy needle- 
 work, and I preferred much to handle all kinds of 
 weapons to sitting quietly at the bobbin-machine for 
 hours together. > 
 
 The perfect liberty I enjoyed in all these pastimes — 
 for as yet a new teacher had not been found for me 
 — made me soon feel in better spirits, and my objec- 
 tion to lonely Bet il Watoro soon vanished. Nor did 
 I neglect riding, and, by Madjid's orders, Mesrur the 
 eunuch improved me in horsemanship. 
 
 My mother being too busily employed in the house 
 to have much spare time for me, I got soon attached 
 to a clever Abyssinian woman, who grew very fond of 
 me, and who taught me her language; but I have long 
 since forgotten all I learned from her. 
 
 A lively intercourse was kept up with Bet il Mtoni, 
 and whenever we went there we were alwaj's received 
 most affectionately by all our friends. The communi- 
 cation between the two places was kept up by slaves 
 carrying verbal messages to and fro. Eastern people 
 are not very fond of letter- writing, even when able to 
 write. Every person of note or wealth keeps some 
 slaves who are employed as runners only. They must 
 travel a certain number of miles daily, but they are 
 well treated otherwise, and special care is taken of 
 them. They are trusted with the most confidential 
 messages. Upon their honesty and secrecy depends 
 frequently their master's welfare, and even more ! It 
 is by no means a rare occurrence that the most inti- 
 mate relations between people have been severed and 
 
24 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 destroyed for ever by an act of vengeance on the part 
 of these messengers. In spite of this great drawback, 
 people cannot be induced to learn to write, and. to 
 make themselves independent for life. The saying, 
 "Leave the world to take its course," is nowhere more 
 true than with us. 
 
 My sister Chadudj was very fond of society. Hardly 
 a day passed without any number of visitors being in 
 the house from six o'clock in the morning till mid- 
 night. Those who arrived very early were received 
 by the servants, and conducted to a room, where they 
 could rest until eight or nine o'clock, when they were 
 welcomed by the lady of the house. Later on I shall 
 have occasion to say more of these ladies' visits in a 
 separate chapter. 
 
 I did not at all succeed in being on the same 
 friendly terms with Chadudj as I was with Madjid. 
 She was rather forbidding, and I never got to love her 
 fondly. There was too great a contrast between good, 
 noble Madjid and her. Nor was I the only one who 
 was of this opinion. Everybody who became more 
 intimately acquainted with them soon found out who 
 of the two was the more amiable. Above all, she 
 could be very cold to strangers, and ungracious, and 
 on this account she had many enemies. She had the 
 greatest dislike to all novel and foreign things, and 
 nothing annoyed her more than the call of a European 
 lady, though it never lasted above half or three- 
 quarters of an hour. 
 
 In other respects she was very circumspect and of 
 a practical turn, considering her station; she was 
 never idle, and when she had nothing else to do she 
 
BET IL WATOEO. 25 
 
 sewed and embroidered dresses for the children of her 
 married slaves as assiduously as the fine shirts for 
 her brother. Among these children there were three 
 very pretty boys, whose father was superintendent of 
 buildings in our service. These boys were called 
 Selim, Abdallah, and Tani, and, being only a few years 
 younger than myself, they soon became my daily com- 
 panions, as I had no others of my own age in the 
 place, till I went over more frequently to my brothers 
 and sisters at Bet il Sahel. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 A DAY AT BET IL SAHEL. 
 
 The long-looked for day at- last arrived on which I 
 was to pay a visit to Bet il Sahel with my mother and 
 Chadudj from early morn till night. It was on a 
 Friday, the Mahometan Sabbath, that we left our house 
 as early as half-past five, wrapped in our big black 
 shawls with gold borders (called Scheie). We had 
 not far to go, only some one hundred paces, to get to 
 our destination. 
 
 The faithful but rather cross old gatekeeper did 
 not receive us in an over friendly manner. More 
 crossly even than was his wont, he told us that he 
 had been on his feeble legs for the last hour admitting 
 lady visitors. Said il Nubi, as the crusty old fellow 
 was called, was a Nubian slave of my father's, whose 
 beard — I cannot express myself otherwise, as the 
 Arabs .wear their heads shaved bare — had grown 
 white in long and loyal service. My father thought 
 much of him, as Said had once stayed his master's 
 hand in a moment of great though righteous wrath 
 from committing an act of rashness, which he would 
 have deeply regretted all his life. 
 
 The little ones, however, did not know much about 
 
A DAY AT BET IL SAHEL. 27 
 
 Said at the time, and it gave us great pleasure to play 
 all sorts of tricks upon the crotchety old fellow. Our 
 designs were chiefly directed against his enormous 
 keys, and I believe there was not a spot in all Bet il 
 Sahel where they had not, at one time or another, 
 been hidden. My brother Djemschid above all 
 showed great skill in making them disappear so com- 
 pletely, that even we could not find out their hiding- 
 place. 
 
 We found the people occupying the first floor all 
 astir already ; only those who were still engaged in 
 their morning devotions remained as yet invisible. 
 Nobody would have dared to disturb them, even if the 
 house had been on fire. We had chosen this day 
 because my father happened to be there, and the 
 same reason had caused many others to come too. 
 
 Nor were all the ladies who arrived friends or 
 acquaintances of ours — many, indeed, were perfect 
 strangers to all of us. Most of them had come from 
 Oman, our native country, and on purpose only to 
 obtain some pecuniary aid from my father, which was 
 rarely denied them. Oman and our kinsfolk there 
 are very poor, and our own prosperity dates from the 
 time of my father's conquest and occupation of 
 Zanzibar. 
 
 Women are as a rule forbidden by law to speak to a 
 strange man. There is, however, an exception to this 
 in two cases : they may appear before their sovereign 
 and before a judge. As hardly any of these visitors in 
 question were able to write or send a petition, there 
 was nothing left for them but to undertake the short 
 voyage from Asia to Africa, and to prefer their 
 
28 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 request in person. All of them received presents 
 according to their position and rank freely, and with- 
 out the numerous questions that a poor applicant in 
 Europe is usually subjected to. It is taken for 
 granted in our country that no respectable person 
 will ask for assistance merely for the sake of begging, 
 and this view proves correct in most cases. 
 
 I was most affectionately received by all my 
 brothers and sisters, especially by my dearly beloved 
 and never-to-be-forgotten sister Chole. Hitherto my 
 mother had been the only one whom I really and 
 fondly loved, but I now began to adore this " light of 
 our house " from my very soul. She was my only 
 ideal soon, as she had been our father's favourite 
 child before, and she deserved, indeed, to be admired 
 by all. She was admitted to be a girl of. rare beauty 
 by all who were unprejudiced and without envy. No 
 one can remain quite insensible to beauty — it was so 
 with her in our house, as there was, indeed, no one to 
 equal her in our whole family, and the fame of her 
 beauty had spread far and wide. Fine eyes are very 
 common in the East, but hers were so eminently 
 beautiful, that she got the name, Nidjm il subh, or 
 " Morning Star."/ An Arab chief, taking part on a 
 certain feast day in the popular game of sham fight- 
 ing in front of our house, was observed with his looks 
 fixed upon a certain window, quite unconscious of the 
 blood which gushed from his wounded foot, and of the 
 pain this wound must have caused him. It was my 
 sister Chole whom he had seen at the window by 
 chance ; her beauty had so overwhelmed him that he 
 accidentally pierced his foot with his iron-pointed 
 
A DAY AT BET IL SAHEL. 29 
 
 lance, and wounded himself without so much as 
 noticing it, until one of my brothers drew his atten- 
 tion to the fact. For years after poor innocent 
 Chole was teased by my brothers about this affair. 
 
 Bet il Sahel, which is a good deal smaller than 
 Bet il Mtoni, lies also close upon the seashore ; it is a 
 bright and cheerful-looking place, and a very pleasant 
 house to live in. 
 
 There is a splendid view of the sea and the shipping 
 from all its windows, which delighted me much. The 
 doors on the upper floor, which contains many rooms, 
 open upon a long and wide gallery of ouch grandness 
 as I have never seen equalled. The ceiling is sup- 
 ported by pillars reaching down to the ground, and 
 these pillars are connected by a high parapet, along 
 which chairs are placed. A great many coloured 
 lamps, suspended from the ceiling, throw a magic 
 glow over the whole house after dark. 
 
 The gallery looks down upon a courtyard, always 
 full of bustle and noise ; I have sometimes been 
 reminded of all this in after years by market scenes 
 on the stage, reproducing something like a picture of 
 it on a small scale. 
 
 Two large separate flights of stairs lead from this 
 court to the rooms on the first floor. Crowds of 
 people are continually going up and down these stairs, 
 and the crowding is often so great that it takes some 
 minutes before one can get to the staircase at all. 
 
 One corner of the courtyard is taken up by the 
 slaughter-house, according to the Eastern custom of 
 killing one's own meat. In another spot negroes 
 have their heads shaved ; tired- out water-carriers 
 
30 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 stretch themselves rather lazily on the ground, heed- 
 less to all calls for water, until they are uncere- 
 moniously roused and reminded of their duty hy one 
 of the eunuchs ; generally they do not wait for the 
 approach of those taskmasters, but get up and run 
 off with their big " Mtungi " (water jars), amid the 
 jeerings of the bystanders. Not far off a dozen or so 
 of nursemaids sit basking in the sun with their little 
 charges, telling them thrilling stories and fairy tales. 
 
 The kitchen is put up in the open, near one of the 
 ground-floor pillars; the numberless cooks quarrel 
 and fight continually, until one of the head cooks 
 steps in, dealing blows right and left, and restoring 
 order for a time. The quantities of meat boiled here 
 are enormous, the beasts being always cooked whole. 
 Fish of so large a size was often brought, as had to 
 be carried by two negroes ; smaller ones were only 
 bought by basketsfull, and poultry by the dozen. Flour, 
 rice, and sugar w r ere counted by bags, and butter, im- 
 ported in a liquid state from the Isle of Socotra, by 
 jars of about a hundredweight each. Spices alone 
 were taken by the pound (ratti). 
 
 The quantities of fruit consumed were still more 
 enormous. Thirty to forty porters, and sometimes 
 as many as fifty, came in daily laden with fruit, not to 
 count the small boats arriving from the seashore 
 plantations. I should not overestimate the daily 
 supply of fresh fruit at Bet il Sahel, in putting it 
 down as equal to the load of a large railway truck. 
 During the mango season (embe) more than double 
 this quantity was consumed every day. Great care- 
 lessness prevailed in the conveyance of the fruit, and 
 
A. DAY AT BET IL SAHEL. 31 
 
 large quantities were made quite unfit for use owing 
 to the manner in which the baskets were treated and 
 flung on the ground by the slaves. 
 
 A wall, about six feet deep, ran along the shore to 
 protect the house against the sea, with a grove of very 
 fine pomegranates behind. Several of the best horses 
 were brought out every morning from the stables, and 
 fastened to this wall with long ropes, to roam about 
 and wade in the soft sand at low tide. My father took 
 great delight in his thoroughbreds from Oman; he 
 inspected them daily, and himself tended tbem when 
 they were sick. It is well known how tenderly 
 attached an Arab is to his favourite horse. My 
 brother Madjid had a splendid brown mare, and he 
 ardently wished to obtain a foal from her. This wish 
 was at last fulfilled, and when "il Kehle," the mare, 
 was about to foal, he ordered his head groom to call 
 him, be it night or daytime. We were actually roused 
 from our sleep one morning, between two and three 
 o'clock, and informed that the happy event had taken 
 place. The groom who had brought the glad news 
 received a reward of fifty dollars from his happy 
 master. This is by no means a single instance ; the 
 attachment to horses in Arabia proper is said to be 
 carried still farther. 
 
 After prayers we went to see my father in his apart- 
 ments. Fond of joking as he always was, he turned 
 to me after a while, saying : " Well now, Salme, how 
 do you like this place ? Would you like to return to 
 Bet il Mtoni ? And don't they forget here to give you 
 your — milk soup ? " 
 
 About ten o'clock all my elder brothers came in 
 
32 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 from their houses to breakfast with my father. Besides 
 us, his children and grandchildren, who were admitted 
 after the age of seven, no one but his legitimate wife, 
 Azze bint Sef, and his sister Asche sat down at his 
 table. No Surie was ever permitted to take meals 
 with him, however high she might stand in his favour. 
 Social distinction in the East never shows itself more 
 than at meals ; guests are on the most friendly and 
 intimate footing with their hosts — often more so than 
 would be the case in Europe — but at meal-time this 
 equality ceases, and the strictest observance of rank 
 is adhered to by common consent. Even the Sarari 
 have established a division of rank among themselves. 
 The handsome Circassians, well aware of their better 
 breeding, decline to break bread with the coffee- coloured 
 Abyssinians : thus by tacit understanding they dine 
 apart. I have already mentioned that among us 
 children no distinction of colour was made. 
 
 It soon struck me that the occupants of Bet il Sahel 
 seemed much happier and more cheerful than those 
 of Bet il Mtoni, and I began to understand the reason 
 of this afterwards. In this latter place Azze bint 
 Sef ruled supreme ; she ruled over husband, step- 
 children, and their mothers — in short, over every one 
 and everything within her reach, while at Bet il Sahel 
 all, my father not excepted, were more free and at 
 liberty to do as they liked ; there was no one here to 
 give orders but my dear and gentle father. I think 
 he was himself so conscious of the great difference 
 between the two houses, that for years he had not sent 
 any one to live at Bet il Mtoni, except by desire, 
 although there was plenty of room to spare in the 
 
A DAY AT BET IL SAHEL. 33 
 
 palace, while Bet il Sahel was always overcrowded. 
 This state grew so bad at last that he conceived the 
 happy thought of building wooden pavilions on the 
 large gallery aforementioned. Finally, however, 
 another house was built on the shore some miles to 
 the north of Bet il Sahel, to serve as residence to the 
 younger generation, which was called Bet il Bas 
 (Strandhouse). 
 
 A painter would have fouud many models for a 
 picture in our gallery, for a more variegated company 
 could not easily be met with. The faces of the people 
 showed eight to ten different shades of complexion at 
 least ; and it would, indeed, have puzzled even a clever 
 artist to make out the many-tinted garments w r orn. 
 The noise was truly appalling — quarrelling or romping 
 children in every corner — loud voices and clapping 
 hands summoning servants, the Eastern equivalent for 
 ringing a bell — the rattle and clatter of the women's 
 wooden sandals (Kabakib) — all combined in producing 
 the most distracting din. 
 
 Our chief amusement was listening to the babel of 
 languages spoken in our midst. Arabic was the only 
 lauguage really sanctioned in my father's presence. 
 But as soon as he turned his back, a truly Babylonian 
 confusion of tongues commenced, and Arabian, Per- 
 sian, Turkish, Circassian, Swahely, Nubian, and 
 Abyssinian were spoken and mixed up together, not 
 to mention the various dialects of these tongues. This 
 excitement seemed, however, to disturb no one, and 
 only sick people complained of it sometimes. My 
 father, too, had got quite accustomed to it, and never 
 interposed. 
 
34 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 All my grown-up sisters presented themselves in 
 festive array on this day, partly because it was our 
 Sunday, and in honour of our father's presence. Our 
 mothers walked about or stood together in groups, 
 talking, laughing, and jesting with each other so 
 amicably that a stranger, unaware of the fact, would 
 never have guessed them to be the wives of one man. 
 The clashing of arms on the staircase announced the 
 arrival of my numerous brothers and their sons, most 
 of whom intended to stay with us all day. 
 
 Things were kept up at Bet il Sahel in a much more 
 sumptuous and extravagant style than at Bet il Mtoni, 
 and I met there a far greater number of handsome 
 and pretty faces than at the latter place, where my 
 mother and her friend Medine had been the only 
 Circassian women. But the majority were here Cir- 
 cassians, who beyond a question are more distinguished 
 in outward appearance than Abyssinians, though even 
 amongst the latter great beauties are to be found. 
 This natural superiority was the cause of a good deal 
 of ill-will and envy, and one beautiful Circassian in 
 particular was treated coldly, and even hated by the 
 Abyssinian women on account of her beauty*. 
 
 It cannot be a matter of surprise that under these 
 circumstances a kind of ridiculous " hatred of race " 
 had broken out among my brothers and sisters. In 
 spite of many good qualities ' they have, Abyssinian 
 women are almost always of a spiteful and vindictive 
 disposition, for, their passions once roused, they know 
 no bounds or decency. We, that is, the children of 
 Circassian mothers, were generally called "cats" by 
 those who had Abj^ssinian blood in their veins, merely 
 
A DAY AT BET IL SAHEL. 35 
 
 because some of us were the unfortunate possessors 
 of blue eyes and a fair complexion, for which they 
 nicknamed us " Highness." My father was never for- 
 given the fact that he had chosen his two favourite 
 children, Scharife and Chole — both by Circassian 
 mothers, the former even blue- eyed — from the hate- 
 ful "race of cats." 
 
 At Bet il Mtoni we had always led a kind of monastic 
 life under the rigid rule of Azze bint Sef, whilst Bet 
 il Watoro was still more lonely and dull. I was 
 therefore well pleased to join in the merry doings of 
 Bet il Sahel, and soon made friends with the brothers 
 and sisters, and two of my nieces, of my own age, 
 Schembua and Farschu, the only children of my 
 brother Chalid. They came to Bet il Sahel from their 
 own house every morning, and went back in the evening 
 and took part in the lessons and games of their uncles 
 and aunts. Chalid's mother, Churschit, was a Cir- 
 cassian, and quite an exceptional woman. She was 
 uncommonly tall, and possessed a great strength of 
 will combined with a high degree of common sense ; 
 I have never met any woman like her in all my life. 
 Later on, and during the time that Chalid represented 
 my father in his absence, it was said that it was she 
 who actually governed the country, and that her son 
 was only her tool. Her advice and counsel in all 
 . matters concerning our family was considered quite 
 indispensable, and much depended always upon the 
 decision she came to. She took in at a glance as much 
 as if she had owned the hundred eyes of an argus, and 
 on all momentous occasions gave proof of a wisdom 
 and sagacity truly Solomonic. She was not, however, 
 
36 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 very much liked by the little folks, and we rather 
 avoided coming near her if we could help it. 
 
 When about to return to Bet il Watoro in the 
 evening, I was rather dismayed on hearing my father 
 tell my mother that I was still to go on with my 
 lessons, i.e., reading; and upon her telling him that 
 as yet no other teacher had been found, he decided 
 that I was to come to Bet il Sahel, and return home 
 every night, like my nieces, so as to take part in the 
 general Jessons there. I was not very much pleased 
 when I heard this ; lessons- had never attracted me, 
 the less so as my last teacher had inspired me with a 
 thorough dislike to all learning. I got soon reconciled, 
 however, to the new arrangement in consideration for 
 the companionship of my brothers and sisters, on all 
 days except Fridays, and my charming sister Choie 
 promising my mother to watch over me. She kept 
 her promise faithfully, quite taking the place of a 
 mother. 
 
 My own dear mother was very much downcast at 
 my father's decree, which took me away from her six 
 days in the week, but there was no help for it ; she 
 made me promise, however, to show myself several 
 times a day at a certain place, from which she could 
 see and nod to me in the distance. 
 
 
CLTAPTER IV. 
 
 OUR LIFE AT BET IL WATOHO AND AT BET IL SAHEL. 
 
 All I can say here of my new teacher is, that I shall 
 always remain deeply grateful to God for having given 
 me such a faithful friend in youth. She was very 
 strict, but also very just. I was often quite alone 
 with her, as her other pupils did not much care to 
 enter her darkened sick chamber, and preferred to 
 keep out of her reach instead, taking advantage of 
 her helpless state. I could not, however, bear to hear 
 her ask for me, and leave her alone in her sufferings. 
 She was highly pleased at my obedience, it is true, 
 but my refractory brothers and sisters not only 
 laughed at me for my pains, but often cuffed me. 
 
 In course of time I liked Bet il Sahel very much, 
 for there was plenty of room for roaming about, and 
 we played any number of foolish pranks, which were 
 not left without punishment when found out ; but I 
 had generally the best of it on such occasions, as 
 Chole was too tender-hearted to punish me as I 
 deserved. 
 
 We had some splendid peacocks at the house, one 
 of them was rather savage, and could not bear the 
 sight of children. One day, when we were walking 
 
38 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 round the cupola of the Turkish bath, which was 
 connected by a suspension bridge with Bet il Sahel 
 and Bet il Tani, this peacock suddenly and furiously 
 darted at my brother Djemschid. We threw our- 
 selves on the beast, and conquered it at last, not 
 feeling inclined, however, to set it free without punish- 
 ment. We resolved upon a very cruel revenge, viz. 
 depriving the animal of its magnificent plumage ; 
 and miserable enough the pugnacious bird looked 
 after this. My father was fortunately absent at the 
 time, and when he returned the affair was hushed 
 up. 
 
 Two Circassian women had arrived from Egypt, 
 and after a time it appeared to us as if one of them 
 was rather haughty and indifferent to us. We were 
 rather galled at this, and put our heads together to 
 find out a punishment equal to the offence ; but we 
 found it very difficult since we rarely had the oppor- 
 tunity of seeing or meeting her. She was only a few 
 years older than ourselves, and therefore the affront 
 was the greater. With this grievance in our minds, 
 we were once passing her apartment, the door of 
 which stood open as usual. The poor thiug was 
 seated at the time on a very light Suahely bed, which 
 consists of four posts only held together by ropes and 
 a mat, merrily singing one of her pretty national 
 songs. On this occasion my sister Schewane was 
 our leader ; a sign from her sufficed to make us at 
 once understand what she proposed to do. In a 
 trice we took hold of the connecting ropes, and, 
 pulling all together, we hoisted the matting upon 
 which she was sitting, and dropped the frightened 
 
OUR LIFE AT BET IL WATORO AND AT BET IL SAHEL. 39 
 
 girl down again with a jerk. It was a very childish 
 trick indeed, but a success in so far as it cured her 
 effect ually of her indifference to us — this was all we 
 had wanted. 
 
 Being full of mischief, I used to play tricks quite 
 by myself- sometimes, and soon after our removal to 
 Bet ii Watoro I once nearly broke my neck. We had 
 gone on a visit to one of our plantations. One 
 morning I managed to escape from my attendants, 
 and climbed up a high palm-tree as nimbly as a cat, 
 without using the pingu, a thick rope to keep the feet 
 together, and without which the most skilled climber 
 cannot be prevailed upon to ascend a cocoa-tree. 
 When about half-way up the tree, I began calling 
 out to the people unconsciously passing below, and 
 wishing them good morning. 
 
 What a fright I caused them all ! A crowd col- 
 lected, begging and entreating me to get down. It 
 was impossible to send any one up to help me. In 
 climbing a cocoa-tree both hands must be free, and 
 therefore the encumbrance of a child of eight would 
 render the feat an impossible one. I was, however, 
 quite pleased to remain where I was, and only made 
 up my mind to slip down when my mother, who was 
 standing below, wringing her hands in despair, had 
 promised me all kinds of delightful things. Every- 
 body spoiled me that day, and loaded me with 
 presents on account of my lucky escape, instead of 
 soundly thrashing me as I deserved. 
 
 Such and similar pranks we played daily, and no 
 punishment could deter us from a new one. We 
 seven— three boys and four girls— turned the whole 
 
40 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 house topsy-turvy, and caused no small annoyance to 
 our mothers. 
 
 Sometimes my dear mother kept me at home on a 
 week-day, and this was always an opportunity for 
 Madjid to spoil me thoroughly. On one of these 
 days he greatly frightened us. He frequently suffered 
 from severe spasms, and for this reason he was hardly 
 ever left without an attendant to render immediate 
 assistance. When he was in his bath-room, my 
 mother and Chadudj watched alternately at the door, 
 not trusting the slaves, and spoke to him from time 
 to time, and he used to tell them jokingly that he 
 was still alive. While Chadudj was thus walking up 
 and down one day at his door, she suddenly heard 
 the sound of a heavy fall in the room, and when she 
 rushed in frightened to death, she found her beloved 
 brother on the raised platform convulsed by a terrible 
 attack, the worst he had ever had. A messenger on 
 horseback was at once despatched to Bet il Mtoni to 
 fetch my father. 
 
 In all cases of sickness and disease we are un- 
 fortunately exposed to the most ignorant quacks and 
 mountebanks, and now that I have come to know 
 and to appreciate the natural and reasonable means 
 employed by medical men in Europe, I am induced 
 to think that in the majority of cases our dead have 
 not succumbed to their disease, but have been sacri- 
 ficed to the barbarous treatment to which they were 
 subjected. I am sure we could not have borne the many 
 cases of death in our family, and among our friends 
 so resignedly, without being sustained by the firm 
 and irrefutable belief in our " destiny." 
 
OUR LIFE AT BET IL WATOItO AND AT BET IL SAHEL. 41 
 
 For many hours poor Madjid was lying on his 
 bed perfectly senseless and in convulsions, inhaling 
 all the time an atmosphere unwholesome even to any 
 person in good health. For in spite of our predi- 
 lection for fresh and pure air, the patients in our 
 parts are hermetically shut out from the fresh air, 
 but especially so when, as in the present instance, 
 the evil one himself is supposed to have a hand in 
 it, for then the sickroom and the whole house are 
 thoroughly fumigated. 
 
 To the great surprise of everybody, my dear father 
 arrived an hour afterwards in a- mtumbi, a small 
 fishing-boat holding only one person, and hurried into 
 the house. The old man was deeply affected by the 
 illness of this son, he who had more than forty children 
 alive at the time. The tears ran down into his beard 
 as he stood at Madjid's sick bed. " Lord ! 
 Lord ! preserve the life of my son ! H was his incessant 
 prayer. And God granted his prayer, for Madjid was 
 spared to us. 
 
 My mother afterwards asked him why he had come 
 in such a miserable vessel. " When the messenger 
 brought the news," he replied " there was not a single 
 boat on shore ; it would have had to be signalled for, and 
 I had no time to wait. It would also have taken too 
 long to have a horse saddled. At that very moment 
 I saw a fisherman pass the Bendjle in his mtumbi, so 
 I seized my weapons, called to him to stop and to get 
 out, and jumped into the boat to pull here by myself." 
 I may mention here that a mtumbi is a most primi- 
 tive kind of boat, made of the hollowed-out trunk of 
 a tree, and holds hardly more than one person, who 
 
42 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 has to paddle it along. It is narrow, pointed, and 
 comparatively short, in shape somewhat like a whale- 
 boat. 
 
 It may be thought strange, according to Western 
 views, that a father so uneasy about the life of his 
 child, and who sets aside all regards of etiquette in 
 his anxiety, should find time to think of his weapons. 
 Here, also, the saying comes true : " So many 
 countries, so many customs." Incomprehensible as 
 this great attachment which the Arab has for his 
 weapons may appear to a European, so incredible 
 are to us some of the Northern habits, as that of 
 excessive drinking in this country, for instance. I 
 continued to go to school daily at Bet il Sahel, and 
 returned at night to my mother at Bet il Watoro. 
 When I had succeeded in learning by heart about 
 the third part of the Kuran, at the age of nine, I was 
 considered too old for school, and after this only went 
 to Bet il Sahel with my mother and Chadudj on 
 Fridays to see my father. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 REMOVAL TO BET IL TANI. 
 
 We lived quietly and peacefully at Bet il Watoro for 
 about two years. Unfortunately good times never 
 last long, and events often arise which have been 
 least foreseen or expected, as it was in our case. Nor 
 is it possible to fancy a creature more lovable and of 
 more gentle disposition than the one who unwittingly 
 disturbed the tranquillity of our domestic life. Asche, 
 a distant relation of ours, had only lately arrived at 
 Zanzibar from our native country, Oman, and shortly 
 after she became Madjid's wife. All of us liked her 
 very much, and rejoiced at the happiness and good 
 fortune of our brother, all except his own sister 
 Chadudj. It grieves me much to have to admit that, 
 from beginning to end, Chadudj greatly wronged 
 Asche. The latter was a truly charming person, and 
 still very young ; but, instead of instructing and train- 
 ing her to her new station as she ought to have done, 
 Chadudj behaved to her in a most unsisterly fashion. 
 She was the mistress of the house by right of her 
 marriage, but, disregarding this, Chadudj ruled over 
 her so tyranically, that poor, gentle Asche frequently 
 came to my mother in tears, complaining of her 
 troubles. 
 
44 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 My mother now found herself, as it were, placed 
 between two fires, and her position became more and 
 more embarrassing. Chadudj could not be prevailed 
 upon to give up any of her pretended rights, bat con- 
 tinued to treat Asche as a child. My mother tried to 
 impress Chadudj with a sense of Asche's position as 
 Madjid's wife, and begged her to avoid, for Madjid's 
 sake, all that might vex or cause him annoyance. It 
 was all to no purpose, and her life at Bet il Watoro, 
 once so agreeable and happy, grew gradually unbear- 
 able. So at last my mother decided to quit the 
 house which was so dear to her rather than be a 
 witness any longer to the continual discord. 
 
 But Madjid and his wife would not listen to this — 
 Asche in particular, who never called my mother 
 otherwise than Umma (" mamma "), was quite incon- 
 solable. Chadudj, on the other hand, remained per- 
 fectly indifferent, and this only confirmed my mother 
 still more in the resolve she had taken. 
 
 Asche herself could stand the life no longer. She 
 therefore sued for and obtained a divorce from Madjid. 
 But after this sad experience of her young life, her 
 heart turned against Zanzibar and its inhabitants ; 
 therefore, as soon as the favourable south wind set in, 
 which our ships had been waiting for, she came to 
 bid us good-bye. Being an orphan, she purposed 
 returning to an old aunt of hers in Oman, who lived 
 somewhere in the neighbourhood of Mesket. 
 
 Our exodus from Bet il Watoro had already been 
 effected previous to this event, and we had taken up 
 our residence at Bet il Tani. My sister Chole was 
 greatly pleased with this, as we now lived quite close 
 
REMOVAL TO BET IL TANI. 45 
 
 to her, and nearly in the same place, where she had 
 taken the trouble to select and arrange our new 
 quarters. 
 
 It was really a difficult matter to obtain rooms in 
 our houses, and for this reason it had gradually be- 
 come a custom to give a kind of reversionary promise 
 on the death of persons in possession, as is done in 
 the case of charitable institutions in Europe. Some- 
 times it was indeed revolting to see how people would 
 carefully watch the slightest attack of coughing, or 
 other alarming symptoms in their neighbours, and 
 mentally disposing of the coveted rooms. All this was 
 very wicked, and mainly the consequence of our over- 
 crowded condition. It was due to Chole's inter- 
 cession that we obtained large and handsome 
 apartments, without the unpleasant consciousness of 
 being usurpers. 
 
 We saw but little of Chadudj now; she was offended 
 at our removal, and reproached my mother very un- 
 justly with want of affection. The latter had, how- 
 ever, too strong a sense of justice as to suffer quietly 
 such unfair treatment of a defenceless and inexpe- 
 rienced woman, whose only offence had been that she 
 had dared to become Madjid's wife. My brother, on 
 the other hand, came to see us frequently, and he 
 remained the dear and true friend he had always 
 been. 
 
 Bet il Tani lies quite close to Bet il Sahel, and is 
 connected, as previously mentioned, with the latter by 
 a suspension bridge, which runs over the roof of the 
 Turkish bath between both houses. It now retained 
 but the shadow of its former splendour, for in the 
 
46 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 upper floor of this palace had lived, many years ago, 
 a second legitimate wife of my father's, Schesade, a 
 Persian princess of entrancing beauty. She is said 
 to have been excessively extravagant, but to have 
 fondly loved her step-children. Her little retinue 
 was composed of one hundred and fifty cavaliers, all 
 Persians, who lived on the ground floor ; with them 
 she hunted and rode in the broad day — rather contrary 
 to strict Arab notions. The Persian women are sub- 
 jected to quite a Spartan training in bodily exercise ; 
 they enjoy great liberty, much more so than Arab 
 women, but they are also much more rude in mind 
 and action. 
 
 Schesade is said to have carried on her extravagant 
 style of life beyond bounds ; her dresses, cut always 
 after the Persian fashion, were literally covered with 
 embroideries of pearls. A great many of these were 
 picked up nearly every morning by the servants in her 
 rooms, where she had dropped them from her gar- 
 ments, but the princess would never take any of these 
 precious jewels back again. She did not only drain 
 my father's exchequer most wantonly, but violated 
 many of our sacred laws ; in fact, she had only 
 married him for his high station and his wealth, 
 and had loved some one else all the time. lie was 
 about to resent her conduct one day on her return 
 from one of her excursions, and it was on this occa- 
 sion that faithful old Nubi had saved him from com- 
 mitting a great crime. Such a scene could, of course, 
 only end in a divorce ; fortunately Schesade had no 
 children of her own. There is a rumour still current 
 amongst us that beautiful Schesade was observed some 
 
REMOVAL TO BET IL TANI. 47 
 
 years after this event, when my father carried on war 
 in Persia, and had the good fortune of taking the 
 fortress of Bender Abbas, on the Persian Gulf, head- 
 ing her troops, and taking aim at the members of our 
 family herself. 
 
 In the former home of this princess I began to 
 learn to write by myself in a very primitive way. It 
 had to be done secretly, too, as women never receive 
 lessons in writing, and are not even allowed to show 
 their skill therein. Taking the Kuran as guide, I 
 tried to copy the letters as faithfully as I could upon 
 the shoulder-blade of a camel, which we use in place 
 of a slate. My courage rose as I got on, and I only 
 required at last some finishing instructions in calli- 
 graphy, for which end I appointed one of our slaves, 
 who was notoriously proficient in the art, to the dignity 
 of writing master. 
 
 My friends greatly ridiculed my efforts, but I did 
 not allow my enthusiasm to be damped thereby, nor 
 have I ever had cause to regret the hours I spent in 
 acquiring the art of writing, since it has proved a 
 means of communicating with the few loyal and faith- 
 ful ones of my far-away home. 
 
CHAPTER VI. 
 
 DAILY LIFE IN OUR HOUSE. 
 
 How many times have I been asked : " Do please tell 
 me how can people in your country manage to live, 
 with nothing to do ? " I had the pleasure of answer- 
 ing this question six or eight times over at a large 
 party, and I need not say how amusing and interesting 
 it was to me to give the same reply so many times 
 over. Coming from a person inhabiting a Northern 
 country, the question is quite a natural one I admit, 
 for it is hard for such to fancy a life without work, 
 being firmly convinced, moreover, that women in the 
 East do nothing all day but dream away their time in 
 a shut-up harem, or, for a change, play with some 
 luxurious toy. 
 
 The ways of life differ everywhere ; all our views, 
 our habits, and customs are shaped to suit our sur- 
 roundings. Men and women work in the North 
 either for an existence or for enjoyment. It is not so 
 with people in our blessed South. I use the word 
 "blessed" advisedly, as I look upon the contentedness 
 of a people as a great and priceless boon ; and because 
 the Arab, so frequently described in books as idle and 
 laz}% is accustomed to an abstemiousness in which 
 
DAILY LIFE IN OUR HOUSE. 49 
 
 perhaps a Chinaman only equals him. The climate 
 itself brings it about that the Southerner may work if 
 he likes, while the Northerner is obliged to. Northern 
 people are inclined somewhat to form opinions and 
 prejudices in their own favour ; they are accustomed 
 to look down upon their antipodes proudly and con- 
 temptuously, which, to my taste at least, is not a 
 very commendable quality to possess. It is but too 
 often overlooked in this country how indispensable 
 industry and activity are to the North to save hun- 
 dreds of thousands from starvation. Are Italians, 
 Spaniards, and Portuguese not a great deal less in- 
 dustrious than Englishmen or Germans ? And for 
 what reason ? Simply because their summer time 
 lasts so much longer than their winter, and because 
 they have not to struggle so hard for existence. In 
 the cold season so many things of the direst necessity 
 are required, the mere name and existence of which 
 are beyond the comprehension of people in the South. 
 
 Extravagant habits may be met with in every 
 country. Those who possess both inclination and 
 means will never lack the opportunity of gratifying 
 the one and .spending the other to the fullest, where- 
 ever they may be. Indeed, I do not intend to enlarge 
 on this subject, but merely draw comparisons between 
 the respective requirements of different countries. 
 
 Countless objects are needed in this country to 
 protect the frail life of a newborn child against the 
 effects of an ever-changing temperature, while the 
 Southern baby is left almost naked, and sleeps in a 
 draught of warm air. Here a child of two years — 
 from the richest to the poorest — cannot do without 
 
50 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 shoes, stockings, drawers, a dress, petticoats, gloves, 
 bonnet, ties, gaiters, fur muff, and muffatees — their 
 sole difference being quality ; whilst there, all the 
 clothing the son of a prince requires consists of two 
 articles — a shirt and the kofije. 
 
 Now, I ask, is the Arab mother, who wants so very 
 little for herself and for her child, to work as hard 
 as the European housewife ? She has not the 
 slightest idea what is meant by darning stockings or 
 mending gloves, or of any of those numerous trifles 
 that a nursery entails ; and as for that important 
 and troublesome domestic item, a washing-day, it is 
 a thing to us unknown ; our linen is washed daily, 
 and dried in little more than half an hour, smoothed 
 flat (not ironed), and put away. We do not use, and 
 are therefore spared the anxiety of those useless orna- 
 ments called muslin curtains. The garments of an 
 Eastern woman, those of the greatest lady included, 
 require an incredibly small amount of attention and 
 mending: this is easily explained, as women move 
 very little either indoors or out, and have fewer 
 dresses. 
 
 All this helps to render life to Eastern women, 
 without distinction of station and rank, much less 
 complicated. But to become properly acquainted 
 with, and to get initiated into all these minor de- 
 tails of household life, it is necessary to have been 
 in the East, and to have lived there for a con- 
 siderable time. No reliance is to be placed on the 
 reports of travellers, who stop for a short time onty, 
 who are unable to gain an insight into all these 
 details, and maybe obtain all their information from 
 
DAILY LIFE IN OUR HOUSE. 51 
 
 hotel waiters. Foreign ladies even, supposing they 
 have actually entered a harem either at Constanti- 
 nople or Cairo, have never seen the inside of a real 
 harem at all, but only its outside, represented by the 
 state rooms decorated and furnished in European 
 style. 
 
 Our climate, moreover, is so splendid and produc- 
 tive that it is hardly necessary to provide for the 
 coming day. I do not deny that our people, taken as 
 a whole, are averse to " flurry; " but it will be easier 
 to realize the effects of a tropical sun, if one only 
 considers how very trying a hot July or August in 
 Europe can be sometimes. 
 
 I repeat it — Arabs are by no means inclined to be 
 industrious ; they only value two things, the art of 
 war and husbandry, and but very few settle down to a 
 trade. Though they are obliged to do much barter 
 trade, they are poor merchants on the whole, and 
 have but little of the Semitic talent for trading. Very 
 little suffices for their few wants, and the future is left 
 to provide for itself. An Arab never thinks of making 
 plans for the morrow, as he may expect to be called 
 away any day. He never plants but that which he 
 can reap himself ; and he considers him who acts 
 otherwise to be " like the rich man who set up 
 greater barns" (Luke xii.). 
 
 In this way life in the East is less laborious and 
 more peaceful : it was this that I wanted particularly 
 to point out and to prove before entering on a more 
 minute description of the daily life in an Arab house- 
 hold. Let me, however, state expressly that I am 
 only speaking here of things referring to Oman and 
 
52 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 Zanzibar, which, in many respects, differ from those 
 in other Eastern countries. 
 
 The hours of prayer regulate the daily life of every 
 Mahometan ; they are said five times a day, and if 
 this be strictly observed, as is ordained by the holy 
 book, including ablution and changing of dress, they 
 take up three hours at the very least. 
 
 Persons of rank are roused between four and half- 
 past five o'clock a.m. for the first prayer, and return 
 to sleep afterwards; devout people wait for sunrise 
 at six o'clock a.m. before doing so ; the lower classes 
 begin their daily task immediately after the first 
 prayer. All persons in our house could live just as 
 they pleased, provided they followed the regulations 
 set down for devotions and for the attendance at the 
 two principal meals. 
 
 The majority slept till eight o'clock, when the 
 women and girls are gently roused by a slave, who 
 begins to rub and knead them all over, which pro- 
 duces a very agreeable sensation. In the meantime 
 the bath has been filled with fresh spring water, and 
 the garments — on which jessamine and orange 
 blossoms have been strewn during night — are fumi- 
 gated with amber and musk before they are put om 
 
 About an hour is spent with the toilet, after which 
 everybody has to wish our father good morning 
 before sitting down to breakfast, the first of our two 
 daily meals. Though a very copious and abundant 
 repast, it took us very little time to get it over, as all 
 the dishes had been prepared and placed on the table 
 in readiness. 
 
 After breakfast everybody is at liberty to employ 
 
 
DAILY LIFE IN OUR HOUSE. 53 
 
 his leisure as he likes. The gentlemen get ready to 
 go to the audience-chamber ; the women, who have 
 no work on hand, sit down at the windows to look out 
 into the animated streets, or watch for a stealthy 
 glance from the flashing eye of a belated noble hurry- 
 ing to the levee, until, alas ! the voice of an appre- 
 hensive mother or aunt calls the unhappy girl away 
 from the gay scene below. 
 
 Two or three hours are thus rapidly passed away. 
 Meanwhile the gentlemen call upon each other and 
 send word to the ladies whom they wish to visit in 
 the evening. The older women, who take no plea- 
 sure in all this lively stir, retire to their rooms, alone 
 or in company, to take up some fancy work, to em- 
 broider their veils, shirts, or drawers with gold 
 thread, or cambric shirts for their husbands and sons 
 with red and white silk — an art which requires con- 
 siderable skill. Others, again, read novels, visit the 
 sick in their rooms, or employ themselves with their 
 own private affairs. 
 
 At one o'clock the servants announce that it is time 
 for the second prayer. The sun is now in full blaze, 
 and after prayer all escape gladly to some cool place 
 to dream away an hour or two upon handsomely 
 plaited soft mats, into which sacred mottoes are 
 woven, or to chat and eat cakes and fruit. 
 
 The third prayer is said at four o'clock p.m., and 
 then we dress in our more elaborate afternoon 
 costumes. Again we call upon our father, wishing 
 him "good afternoon" — our grown-up brothers and 
 sisters are allowed to call him father, the little children 
 and their mothers only address him as hbabi (sir). 
 
54 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 Now followed the liveliest time of the day : we sat 
 down to our principal meal, at which all members of 
 our large family met together for the second time. 
 After the meal the eunuchs placed European chairs 
 on the grand piazza in front of my father's apart- 
 ments for the grown-up people, whilst we little 
 children remained standing in deference to old age, 
 which is, I believe, nowhere honoured to that degree. 
 The numerous family grouped round our usually 
 grave father, the trim and well-armed eunuchs being 
 ranged at some distance m rank and file along the 
 gallery. Coffee and all kinds of French fruit-syrups 
 were handed round, of which we children partook 
 freely. Conversation was carried on accompanied by 
 the tunes of a mighty barrel-organ (the largest I have 
 ever seen), or, for a change, by some large musical box ; 
 sometimes a blind Arab woman, called Amra, who 
 possessed an exquisite voice, was called in to sing. 
 
 An hour and a half later we all separated, and 
 employed ourselves as we liked. Some chewed betel- 
 nut, which is a Suahely habit, and not liked on that 
 account by Arabs born in Arabia proper. Those, 
 however, among us who had been born on the East 
 coast of Africa, and were brought up together with 
 negroes and mulattoes, rather fancied this habit, not- 
 withstanding the disapproval of our Asiatic relations, 
 though we never indulged in it in our father's presence. 
 
 Not long afterwards, gunshots and the beat of 
 drums of the Indian guard announced sunset and the 
 time for the fourth prayer. Not one of our daily 
 devotions was performed faster, everybody seemed in 
 a hurry to get it over. For those who did not wish 
 
DAILY LIFE IN OUR HOUSE. 55 
 
 to go out themselves (we and our mothers always re- 
 quired a special permission from our father or from 
 his representative, which was rarely refused), or those 
 who did not expect visitors, were sure to he invited by 
 some one in the house, or received visits from brothers 
 and sisters, stepmothers, stepchildren, or from other 
 people. Coffee and lemonade, fruits and cakes were 
 freely partaken of. There was a great deal of merry 
 joking and laughing going on ; some read aloud, others 
 played at cards (never for money, however), or sang, 
 or listened to negroes playing the sese, or sewed, 
 embroidered, and made lace. 
 
 It is, therefore, quite a mistake to suppose that a 
 great lady in the East does absolutely nothing. It is 
 true she does not paint, nor play, nor dance (according 
 to Western notions). But are there no other amuse- 
 ments to divert oneself with ? People in our country 
 are very temperate, and they are not given to a 
 feverish pursuit of everchanging amusements and 
 pleasures, though from the European point of view 
 Oriental life may appear somewhat monotonous. 
 
 Our own personal attendants were, of course, all 
 women ; the menservants were dismissed every even- 
 ing to their homes and families, and the eunuchs slept 
 also outside the house. 
 
 Oil lamps are kept burning all night in the rooms 
 and passages, but no candles are allowed after bed- 
 time. Children above the age of two are no longer 
 put to bed at a certain hour, they are left to them- 
 selves until they are tired. It frequently occurs that 
 the children, overcome by fatigue, lie down anywhere 
 and fall asleep, and then they are generally picked up 
 
56 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 carefully by some slaves and carried to their couches, 
 sometimes a long way, without awakiog to the fact. 
 
 Those people who have not gone out or received 
 visitors generally retire about ten o'clock. On moon- 
 light nights many take a walk on the flat housetops, 
 which was a very delightful airing. 
 
 The fifth and last prayer ought to be said at 7.30 
 p.m., but as many are prevented at this time, it may 
 be left unsaid until midnight or bedtime. 
 
 At bedtime all ladies of rank are waited upon by 
 their female slaves, whose business it is to watch the 
 falling asleep of their mistresses. One of them re- 
 peats the kneading process of the morning, while 
 another fans gently, until they too may retire. I 
 have mentioned already that all women go to bed fully 
 dressed, and with all their jewels. 
 
CHAPTEB VII. 
 
 OUR MEALS. 
 
 We had two meals a day, as I have mentioned before. 
 About nine a.m. we all met in the great saloon to kiss 
 our father's hands. As a rule our brothers and 
 nephews, even those who were married and who lived 
 out of the house, shared our breakfast during the 
 time our father lived in town with us. I do not 
 remember, however, that he ever went out to take a 
 meal with any of his sons or any one else. 
 
 The dishes were all arranged and placed by the 
 eunuchs on the long sefra (diniug-table). This sefra 
 is made of wood, and looks somewhat like a billiard- 
 table, only ours was twice as long, a little wider, and 
 about three inches high, with a ledge of about a hand's 
 breadth running round its sides. We do not have 
 separate dining-rooms, and the sefra is carried into 
 the gallery at mealtimes. Though we had some 
 foreign furniture, such as couches, tables, and chairs, 
 and sometimes wardrobes (my father's apartment 
 contained a great deal of European furniture, which 
 was more for show, however, than for actual use), we 
 took our meals after the Eastern fashion, and sat 
 down on the floor upon carpets and mats. Precedence 
 
58 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 was strictly observed at table. My father always 
 took bis place at the upper end of the sefra ; next to 
 him, on bis right and left, sat my elder brothers and 
 sisters, and the little ones (above seven years) took 
 the lower seats. The fashion of taking people in to 
 dinner is not practised. 
 
 There was always a great variety of viands, often as 
 many as fifteen dishes ; rice dressed in many ways. Of 
 meat and poultry, mutton and fowls were liked most. 
 There was fish besides, and Eastern bread, and all kinds 
 of sweets and dainties. As all the dishes are placed 
 on the table beforehand, there is no attendance re- 
 quired ; numerous eunuchs stand at some distance, 
 drawn up in line to carry out special orders. Their 
 services were mostly required by my father, who 
 would send in portions to the smaller children who 
 were not yet admitted to table, or to sick people. 
 At Bet il Mtoni he used to make me sit in a place 
 where he could reach my plate. We had the same 
 food as the grown-up people, but it was always a plea- 
 sure to us to have our dishes selected by him, and he 
 himself greatly enjoyed doing so. 
 
 On sitting down to table, every one said in an 
 undertone, but quite audibly : " In the name of the 
 merciful Lord," and on rising, " Thanked be the Lord 
 of the universe." My father always sat down and 
 rose first. 
 
 Clean plates were not handed to each person as is 
 the custom in Europe, but the various dishes (with 
 the exception of rice) were served up in small plates, 
 symmetrically arranged along the sefra, and two people 
 could always eat out of one plate. 
 
OUR MEALS. 59 
 
 Drinks were not taken at meals, but after them 
 sherbet or sugared water was handed round. There 
 was no talking, unless some one was specially 
 addressed by my father; the greatest silence pre- 
 vailed, which was very pleasant. Neither flowers nor 
 fruit were placed on the sefra. 
 
 Shortly before and after each meal male and female 
 slaves, smartly dressed, handed round basins to wash 
 our hands. As a rule we used our ringers to eat with 
 — knives and forks were deemed superfluous, and they 
 were used only when European guests were enter- 
 tained. Meats and fish were chopped up small before- 
 hand, and we had spoons for all liquids. The upper 
 classes perfume their hands after the washing, to 
 remove any traces of the viands. 
 
 Fruit was never taken at meals, but either before or 
 some time after. Each person had a certain quantity 
 of the kinds in season sent to her rooms. 
 
 Half an hour after breakfast and dinner coffee was 
 served by eunuchs in those well-known little Oriental 
 cups in gold or silver casings. The coffee is very 
 strong, boiled down to syrup, and filtered quite clear. 
 It is taken, without sugar and milk, and nothing is 
 eaten with it, except, perhaps, a very finely chopped 
 " areka " nut. 
 
 Coffee is always poured into the cup immediately 
 before it is taken, and as the pouring out requires 
 some skill, there are but few servants who can be 
 selected for this office. The neat coffee-pot of tin, 
 with brass clasps (china is never used), is carried in 
 the left hand, and one of the little cups in its casing 
 (called sarf) in the right one of the servant who 
 
60 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 pours out the beverage, an assistant following with a 
 tray of empty cups and a large pot to fill up from. 
 If he finds all the company still together, his work is 
 quickly done, otherwise it is his duty to seek out each 
 person. 
 
 It is w r ell known that coffee is highly valued in the 
 East, and great care is devoted to its preparation. 
 The quantity each time required is roasted, ground 
 and boiled immediately before use, that it may be 
 quite fresh. Neither the surplus of roasted beans 
 nor the boiled coffee is ever kept ; what remains is 
 either thrown away or used by the lower servants if 
 they like. 
 
 The second and last meal is taken every afternoon 
 at four o'clock precisely, and nothing more is served 
 after the same until breakfast next morning, except 
 coffee and fruits. 
 
CHAPTEK VIII. 
 
 BIRTH AND FIRST YEARS OF THE LIFE OF A PRINCE 
 AND PRINCESS. 
 
 Although the birth of a prince or of a princess with 
 us was not announced by the salute of guns, it was 
 nevertheless always an event of importance, which 
 caused much joy, but I regret to say much envy also. 
 Our father and the respective mother were of course 
 delighted at the birth of a child, and we little ones 
 fully shared their joy. A newborn brother or sister 
 had to go through all manners of ceremonies, and as 
 such births occurred five or six times annually in our 
 family, they were the welcome cause of as many 
 family festivities to us. 
 
 No Mahometan will suffer the assistance of a 
 medical man in such cases ; raidwives alone are 
 allowed and admitted, and they are ignorance itself. 
 The majority of them come from Hindustan, and are 
 much preferred to native women ; I do not know for 
 what reason, for a midwife from Hindustan knows as 
 little or less of her business than those from Arabia 
 or from the Suahely country. In fact, mother as 
 well as child may thank God alone, and their constitu- 
 tion, if they survive at all or keep well afterwards, for 
 
02 MEMOIRS OP AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 they owe no thanks to their stupid and foolish 
 nurses. 
 
 After a warm water bath a kind of bandage is 
 wound round the child's body, its neck and armpits 
 are powdered with some strongly perfumed vegetable 
 powder, and it is dressed in a calico shirt of an in- 
 grain dye, or in a muslin one. The little thing is 
 then placed on its back, its hands and feet are 
 straightened out to the utmost, and it is swathed in a 
 swathing-band up to the shoulders, the tiny arms and 
 legs being thus firmly confined. In this state the 
 child remains for forty days, except while the band is 
 removed twice a day to give it a bath. By this pro- 
 cess the child's body, it is thought, will be made 
 straight and faultless for life. 
 
 The mother always watches over the child herself, 
 and never leaves it to the care of any of her servants. 
 Slaves are set to rock the cradle incessantly, which is 
 of East Indian workmanship, and made of the finest 
 wood beautifully carved. She rarely, however, nurse3 
 the child herself, except for a pastime, for each child 
 has one or two wet nurses up to the age of two. 
 
 If it be a girl, she has holes pricked in her ears 
 on the seventh day with a needle and thread of red 
 silk, generally six in each ear„ to which heavy gold 
 rings are attached for ever when she is two months 
 old. I say " for ever," because females who do not 
 wear earrings either mourn a deceased relation or 
 they have no holes pierced. 
 
 On the fortieth day a ceremony is performed to 
 which European children could not be subjected : all 
 the hair is shaved off the child's head. This may 
 
LIFE OF A PRINCE AND PRINCESS. 63 
 
 appear incredible, but many things in the South are 
 different to what they are here. A bald-headed child 
 would be considered as great a curiosity as a child 
 born with a few tufts of hair is in this country. My 
 Hamburg nurse was quite surprised when she saw 
 my newborn daughter for the first time, whose black 
 hair came down to her neck ; nor was she satisfied 
 until she had made my late husband bring home a 
 small soft brush, with which she delighted in curling 
 the baby locks two days old. 
 
 The shaving is done by the chief eunuch under 
 certain ceremonies, in which fumigation with a 
 species of a gum-arabic (somewhat similar to the 
 incense used in Eoman Catholic churches) plays an 
 important part. The first hair is considered of much 
 moment — it must not be burnt, nor carelessly thrown 
 away, but buried in the ground, thrown into the 
 sea, or hidden in some crevice of a wall. Twenty to 
 thirty persons are always present during this cere- 
 mony, and the chief eunuch, who only on this occasion 
 acts as barber, runs a great risk of crushing the soft 
 and tender skull of the infant. He, as well as his 
 numerous assistants, then receive a valuable present 
 from my father. 
 
 The swathing band is removed on this day, rings 
 are put on the arms and legs, arid attached to the 
 ears, and the child is dressed in a silk shirt and the 
 kofije, a cap of gold stuff with ear-flaps. After this 
 day everybody may go and look at it, for up to that 
 time no one but the parents, the slaves on duty, and 
 a few of the most intimate of the mother's friends 
 were allowed to do so. This precaution is taken on 
 
64 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 account of the widespread belief in the evil eye and 
 other dreaded species of witchcraft. 
 
 Little children of this age in the East look, beyond 
 a doubt, much better than European ones, in whose 
 dresses white predominates. My opinion remains 
 unchanged on this point even after my long residence 
 in Europe, and my own children looked hideous to me 
 in their baby clothes when I compared them with 
 my little brothers and sisters in their pretty attire. 
 
 The smallest children are already strongly per- 
 fumed, and everything they use and wear — dresses, 
 sheets, bath-towels, and swathing clothes — are covered 
 all night with jessamine (different from that known 
 here), fumigated with amber and musk, and sprinkled 
 all over with ottar of roses before they are used. It 
 must be remembered that windows and doors are open 
 nearly all day throughout the year, which mitigates 
 to a certain extent any bad effect arising from this 
 curious partiality for strong scents. 
 
 Several charms are also attached to the child's 
 body on the fortieth clay to protect it against the effects 
 of the evil eye. They are called "Hamaje," or "Hafid," 
 and consist of all sorts of things ; the lower class 
 using an onion, or a bit of garlic, or small shells, a 
 piece of bone stitched up in leather and worn on the 
 upper part of the left arm. In the upper classes 
 these kinds of charms are replaced by gold or silver 
 plates, worn on a chain round the neck, upon which 
 sentences from the Kuran are engraved. The boys 
 wear them only up to a certain age, the girls generally a 
 longer period. The favourite charm consists of a goM 
 or silver locket of pretty workmanship, likewise worn 
 
LIFE OF A PRINCE AND PRINCESS. 65 
 
 on a chain, two inches long by one inch wide, enclos- 
 ing a miniature of the " hurs " (guardian). No person 
 wearing a charm like this, bearing the holy name of 
 the Lord, may enter an unclean place — a proof surely 
 of the great reverence of a true Mahometan for his 
 Lord and Creator ! 
 
 From a very early age the child is fed (besides 
 mother's milk) from a long spouted cup several times 
 a day with milk soup, boiled with rice flour and sugar; 
 the sucking bottle was quite unknown in my time. 
 It receives no other kind of food until it teethes ; after 
 that it may eat anything. It is' not customary to 
 carry the children about, they are put on the carpet 
 and then left to their own devices. 
 
 Another festivity follows at the first attempt of the 
 child to sit up by itself, for the exclusive benefit of its 
 little brothers and sisters. To celebrate this festive 
 event in befitting style, extra cakes and other good 
 things are provided. The mother, the nurses, and 
 the child are dressed in their best, and wear their 
 finest jewels. The child is then put into a small 
 square carriage on low wheels, stuffed with cushions. 
 The little legs are steadied upon a board fixed perpen- 
 dicularly to the poles, and the other children gather 
 all round. 
 
 Grains of Indian corn, which have been roasted in 
 a peculiar way, till they get as large as a thimble and 
 soft as wadding, are then mixed with a quantity of 
 small silver coin, and this compound is poured over 
 the child's head ; this done, the children rush upor. 
 their little brother or sister to obtain the coins, not 
 seldom endangering the infant's life. The children 
 
66 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 of friends are sometimes invited on this occa- 
 sion. 
 
 The child runs about barefooted until it is strong 
 enough to wear sandals. Those worn by boys (watje) 
 are much lighter than the kubkab of the girls, and 
 the latter are generally allowed to wear boys' sandals 
 until they are able to put on the kubkab. Stockings 
 are not worn by either sex ; ladies of rank use them 
 at times upon riding excursions, as custom requires 
 the ankles to be covered. 
 
 Besides the nurses, two or three slaves are appointed 
 as personal attendants to each child when three 
 months old, after which they are its property. The 
 number of slaves is gradually increased as the child 
 gets older, and in the case of death of any of them 
 the vacant place is filled up by another, or a certain 
 sum of money is paid instead by my father. The 
 little girls wear boys' caps in the house up to a certain 
 age. 
 
 Until their seventh year the princes live among the 
 women ; they then solemnly embrace the Mosaic faith, 
 the ceremony being followed by great festivities, in 
 which the state dignitaries and all high officials take 
 part. This, if possible, is enacted in the country and 
 in the presence of our father, and ends in public re- 
 joicings of three days' duration. 
 
 On this occasion the boy is presented with a quiet 
 mare, and with mounted attendants. The boys are 
 thus taught to ride from early youth, and in time 
 attain the dexterity of circus riders. It requires, of 
 course, a great deal more skill to gain a firm seat on 
 horseback without the good saddles and stirrups used 
 
LIFE OF A PRINCE AND PRINCESS. 67 
 
 in this country. So great was the importance my 
 father attached to perfect horsemanship, that the 
 slightest mishap while out riding would call forth a 
 severe reprimand not only on his sons, hut on their 
 incompetent riding masters. 
 
 Indeed not one of us was spoiled in the least. My 
 father's high sense of justice and unparalleled 
 generosity was combined with great and firm con- 
 sistency. We were expected to obey strictly our tutors 
 and teachers, be they Arabs, Abyssinians, or Negroes. 
 He was deaf to our entreaties or complaints if ever we 
 made any — a severity which taught us to respect those 
 in authority over us, and to appreciate that authority 
 when we had come to years of discretion. 
 
 The nurses, even those whose term of service had 
 been but short, were highly esteemed and honoured 
 as long as they lived. They are always slaves by 
 birth, but as a rule they are freed in reward of their 
 fidelity and devotion. Especially the black nurses 
 distinguish themselves by their great attachment to 
 their charges ; the most anxious mother may quietly 
 leave her child with such an one who considers 
 herself a second mother to the child and treats it 
 accordingly. What a difference there is between 
 them and the half-hearted interest shown by the 
 nurses in this country ! Many a time have I been 
 unable to resist interceding in behalf of poor little 
 nurslings when some flagrant carelessness forced 
 itself upon my notice. 
 
 The contrast which exists between the wet nurses of 
 these parts and our Arab nurses may possibly be 
 explained by the fact that in most cases the former are 
 
68 MEMOIES OF AN ARABIAN PIUNCESS. 
 
 compelled to forsake their own children in exchange 
 for a perfect little stranger — a sacrifice for which, 
 every mother will admit, no consideration of mere 
 money will compensate. 
 
 The position of a black wet nurse with regard to 
 the child entrusted to her by her mistress is quite a 
 different one. She has been in the latter's service for 
 years, may even have been born in her house : thus her 
 own interests and those of her master's are closely 
 knitted together. And further, there may be added a 
 circumstance of much weight— a black nurse is not 
 required to part with her child, but frequently, if not 
 always, she retains it. The child of the nurse receives 
 the same nourishment as its little foster brother or 
 sister, shares its pap, its fowl, its bath, wears its old 
 dresses, and by and by shares its toys. The child 
 grows up into a slave, but always preferred to others 
 except by very badly disposed people who can forget 
 their foster relation. 
 
 This patriarchal state of things generates more 
 faithful and devoted nurses than any European system 
 could achieve. I have often reflected how very hard 
 it must be for these poor women to part with their 
 own children for the sake of lucre, though I have 
 repeatedly been told that they are by no means so 
 sensible of this as I supposed. This, however, I cannot 
 understand. Could I ever entrust my poor helpless 
 child to a perfect stranger, and with the greatest in- 
 difference too ? Not for the world ! 
 
 These black nurses, however, have one very bad 
 habit : they are acquainted with all sorts of dreadful 
 and absurd stories, which they tell the little children of 
 
LIFE OF A PRINCE AND PRINCESS. 69 
 
 three to five years to amuse and to keep them quiet. 
 The lion (simba), the leopard (tschui), the elephant 
 (tembo), and numberless witches * (watchawi) of course 
 play a prominent part in these fairy tales, some of 
 which are really blood-curdling. It is perfectly im- 
 possible to break them of this noxious habit. 
 
 Bearing children is unquestionably much easier in 
 the South than in Northern countries : colds, coughs, 
 and the other numerous assailants of European 
 children are unknown there ; yet although the climate 
 is very hot, and indoor life is replete with enticing 
 comforts, the children are not given to sluggishness 
 and indolence ; they are allowed to roam in full liberty, 
 and from the mode of their garments their limbs are 
 nowise fettered. Gymnastics are unknown, but boys 
 from ten to twelve go in greatly for high jumping, 
 some of their flying leaps taking them over two horses. 
 
 Swimming in the sea is practised as eagerly, and 
 the boys teach themselves. At an early age they learn 
 to shoot, and very passionately too, sham fights being 
 very favourite pastimes. In spite of boys always 
 going about armed to the teeth, provided with as much 
 ammunition ,as grown-up men, one hardly ever hears 
 of an accident arising from want of precaution. 
 
 I have already mentioned that the young princes 
 live in their fathers' houses up to a certain age, after 
 which a residence of their own is assigned to each, in 
 which they generally keep house with their mother if 
 she be living. They have a certain monthly allowance, 
 fully sufficient to supply all their wants. In the event 
 of marriage or an increase to the family, or even after 
 * A Suahely word, the singular of which is mtschawi. 
 
70 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 a time of irreproachable conduct, an extra allowance 
 may be looked for, but in no other case. However, on 
 the arrival of our father's ships once a year with new 
 goods, all our brothers and sisters living by them- 
 selves appeared with the whole of their family to claim 
 their individual share, whether they required it or not. 
 If any of them had the misfortune of exceeding their 
 allowance they found it no easy matter to extricate 
 themselves, as my father never countenanced the fact, 
 and none would transgress more than once if he could 
 help it. 
 
 In case of war, which was unfortunately rather 
 frequent in Oman, all the princes, the half-grown 
 included, were expected to join and take their part 
 in the fight like the common soldier. 
 
 They were subjected to a very strict discipline, but 
 this only caused the sons to look up to their father 
 with greater respect and veneration. I often watched, 
 as a child, how my elder brothers would hurry to the 
 door, in advance of the slaves, to put the sandals 
 my father had left there in readiness for him. 
 
 There is but little to say about the education of 
 a princess : the first years of her life resembles that 
 of her brothers, with the exception that the latter 
 were allowed much more liberty out of the house 
 afler completing their seventh year. The only thing 
 which deserves mention is, that at the birth of a 
 princess — to suit the hairdress in our country — a 
 broad comb, generally of silver, is placed under the 
 back of the newborn child's head, to give it a flat 
 shape. When a princess is married to one of her 
 numerous cousins, either in Oman or in Zanzibar, 
 
LIFE OF A PRINCE AND PRINCESS. 71 
 
 she quits her paternal home, of course, in exchange 
 for that of her husband. The former, however, re- 
 mains open to her at all times, as the sole and real 
 place of shelter against any vicissitudes of life, 
 though she may go and live with a brother if she 
 prefers it. Each sister has her favourite brother, 
 and vice versa ; they maintain a fast friendship in 
 good and in bad times, and advise and help each 
 other to their utmost. Though this might prove 
 a source of deep joy in one way, it often gave rise 
 to bitter jealousies which the stoutest heart had 
 difficulty in overcoming— neither were the oppor- 
 tunities very rare in so large a family as ours. 
 
 It often happened, too, that a sister would intercede 
 with our father in mitigation of some foolish deed of a 
 favourite brother, and succeed entirely on the strength 
 of his evident preference for his daughters, and his 
 usual inability to refuse any of their requests. He 
 was particularly kind and courteous to his elder 
 daughters, walking towards them and seating them 
 by his side on a sofa, while the elder sons and the 
 little people stood by respectfully. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 SCHOOLING IN THE EAST. 
 
 On the whole the school (mdarse) is considered by 
 Eastern people, and likewise by us, as of little 
 moment and consequence. School in Europe is the 
 centre of life in Church and State, alike to prince 
 and to citizen ; from its efficiency depends essentially 
 the cultivation of mind and knowledge as well as 
 most future prospects. In the East the " mdarse " 
 is altogether a matter of secondary consideration, 
 and for a good many people it does not exist at all. 
 Before discussing this point further I wish to say 
 something about what we called "school" at our 
 house. 
 
 Between the age of six or seven all children— boys 
 and girls — had to enter the mdarse ; the latter were 
 only required to learn to read, the former both to 
 write and read. At Bet il Mtoni and at Bet il Sahel 
 there was only one lady teacher, respectively, specially 
 imported by our father from Oman. I need not say 
 that unforeseen holidays, brought about by our 
 teacher's occasional sickness, did not meet with 
 proper regret on our part. 
 
 We had no separate schoolroom ; our lessons were 
 
SCHOOLING IN THE EAST. 73 
 
 said in an open gallery, to which pigeons and parrots, 
 peacocks and ricebirds, found free ingress. We also 
 had an uninterrupted view of the courtyard and its 
 busy life there. All the furniture of the schoolroom 
 consisted of a single large mat. Our school property 
 was equally simple — all we required was a Kuran 
 on a stand (marfa), a small inkstand containing 
 homemade ink and the well-bleached shoulder-blade 
 of a camel for a slate, on which the writing with ink 
 is easy, without the irritating, jarring noise produced 
 on the slate. Slaves have to see to the cleaning of 
 these blades. 
 
 The first thing we learned was the very compli- 
 cated Arab ABC, after which, for want of any other 
 spelling-book, reading was taught from the Kuran, 
 and the boys copied from it. Tnose who could read 
 pretty fluently read in a chorus, and rather loudly 
 too. But this was the extent of our schooling, for 
 we never got any explanation of what we were 
 reading about. Hence the fact that perhaps one only 
 amongst a thousand really understands and is able 
 to explain the sense and the precepts of the Ma- 
 hometan holy book, though there may be eighty 
 in every hundred who have learned at least half of 
 it by heart. To meditate or to speculate upon its 
 contents is considered irreligious and condemnatory ; 
 people are simply to believe what they are taught, 
 and this maxim is rigorously carried out. 
 
 After a repast of fruit we assembled at seven 
 
 o'clock in the morning on our mat, and there awaited 
 
 the arrival of our teacher, whiling away the time 
 
 with wrestling, boxing, jumping, and with perilous 
 6 
 
74 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 attempts at climbing the railings, &c. A watch was 
 set at a corner of the gallery to inform us, by a 
 cough, of the teacher's approach, upon which we 
 would promptly seat ourselves, looking extremely 
 demure, only to rebound, like so many indiarubber 
 balls, respectfully to shake hands with the dreaded 
 one and to wish her good morning. She always 
 carried the much detested bamboo cane in one hand, 
 and a large brass inkstand in the other. Until she 
 had taken her seat we had to stand up before her 
 iu file, and were finally allowed to sit down ourselves 
 cross-legged around her on the matting. 
 
 She now began to recite the first Sura of the Kuran, 
 which may be called the Mahometan Lord's Prayer, 
 echoed in chorus by us and concluded with Amin 
 (not Amen). Then we repeated what we had learned 
 the day before, and took a new piece in reading and 
 writing. Lessons lasted till nine o'clock precisely, 
 and were resumed after breakfast up to second 
 prayers at noon. 
 
 Each of us w 7 as allowed to bring some slaves to 
 school to join in our lessons ; they sat at some dis- 
 tance behind us, while we grouped ourselves as we 
 pleased. There w r ere neither fixed places nor a 
 division into forms. Eeports which are looked 
 forward to with such feverish anxiety in European 
 schools were unknown to us. Our respective mothers 
 and our fathers received only a verbal report if any 
 of us made very good progress, and in the reverse 
 case, or if very good or bad conduct called for com- 
 ment. Our teacher had received special orders to 
 punish us severely whenever she deemed it necessary, 
 
SCHOOLING IN THE EAST. 75 
 
 and we gave her often enough occasion to make use 
 of her cane. 
 
 Besides reading and writing, we were taught a 
 little arithmetic, that is, ciphering in writing up to 
 100, and up to 1000 mentally ; everything beyond 
 that was thought to be of evil. No pains were taken 
 with either grammar or orthography ; the very com- 
 plicated "Ilnahu" can only be acquired by much 
 reading in after years. Of such sciences as history, 
 geography, mathematics, physics, and others I never 
 heard — I only was made acquainted with these 
 branches of science when I came to Europe. I am 
 not sure, however, that I am so much better off 
 now for the smattering I have acquired of these 
 things at great pains, than the people on the other 
 side. This only I know, that my increased know- 
 ledge has not saved me from being repeatedly de- 
 ceived and swindled. Oh, ye happy ones at home who 
 are spared the inevitable sorrows which lie beneath 
 the dazzling gauze of civilization ! 
 
 The style of our tuition did not admit of home 
 tasks of course, which take up so many hours in this 
 country. 
 
 The teacher, feared as she may be, is treated with 
 great respect by everybody, and by her pupils 
 especially is treated with veneration in after life. 
 
 One thing, however, schoolchildren in the East 
 and in Europe have in common— the natural instinct 
 of gaining the teacher's favour by means of little 
 bribes. When my children used to ask me for a few 
 pence to buy a nosegay or a flower-pot for Miss 
 So-and-so, I was always reminded of my own school- 
 
76 MEMOIRS OP AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 days. This trait belongs, I believe, to every race 
 and nation. Before we ever dreamt of the existence 
 of foreign countries or of their schools and school- 
 children, my brothers and sisters and myself tried 
 to ingratiate ourselves with our teacher by taking 
 her all sorts of things, sweets in preference ; every 
 day she received a goodly portion of the French 
 goodies our father gave us. I know not whether the 
 other effect of this kind of present was a premeditated 
 one, but certain it is that a repeated result was a 
 violent toothache — and a holiday for us. 
 
 There was no fixed term for attending school. 
 What was considered necessary to know had to be 
 learned in any case ; but it depended entirely upon 
 the capacity of each individual if this knowledge was 
 acquired in one year, in two, or more. 
 
 Fancy work was not taught at school, it was from 
 our mothers that we acquired the art of sewing, 
 embroidery, and lace-making, at which most of them 
 were very proficient, though we were not expected 
 to attain any particular standard. Some of my 
 sisters, for instance, who had acquired great skill 
 in such work, could easily have made a living by 
 it, had they ever needed ; others, again, never got 
 beyond sewing on a button. 
 
 There exist some schools, but only for children of 
 poor parents. Every one who is at all able to afford 
 it, keeps a private tutor or a governess. Sometimes 
 the secretary of the master of the house undertook 
 to give lessons to the girls — however, only as long 
 as they were quite young. 
 
 This brief mention is all I have to say of our 
 
SCHOOLING IN THE EAST. 77 
 
 schools. It is but natural that I should sometimes 
 be tempted to draw comparisons between them and 
 European ones,, between the over-cultured here and 
 the ignorance of the children there. I myself was 
 born, bred, and educated there, and my julgment, 
 which is based upon my experience both in Arabia 
 and Europe, and which I feel to be quite free from 
 any prejudice whatever, may perhaps be of interest. 
 
 In general I am of opinion that Europeans exact 
 just that too much from a school, as the Arabs demand 
 too little. As yet no people has discovered the right 
 middle course, nor will it ever be found ; contrasts 
 like these will exist as long as the world lasts. 
 
 There is hardly any science which the children are 
 not taught here, and to such an extent that the childish 
 understanding cannot possibly retain all. With the 
 beginning of school life parents see hardly any- 
 thing of their children. The latter are so much 
 overtasked, even after their regular, school-hours, that 
 home life and influence are almost at an end. There 
 is a continued race and chase all day from task to 
 task, and how much of these studies will be of lasting 
 value to them ? How much of it is crammed, only to 
 be forgotten again as quickly ! To my idea, a few 
 extra hours spent in their home would leave a healthier 
 impression on their minds and memories by and by. 
 
 For five or more hours daily the poor children are 
 cooped up in a schoolroom which is insufferably hot 
 and stifling. In one school, with more than two 
 hundred children, I remarked that there were only 
 four tumblers. Can any one be surprised under such 
 circumstances if a child sickens ? However much 
 
78 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 care and pains may be taken for its welfare at home, 
 they are rendered quite useless by tbe effect of the 
 foul school air. You need only look at some of these 
 children to make your heart ache ! Was not our large, 
 lofty gallery a much fitter place ? What is the use 
 of all accomplishments if they are acquired by ruining 
 health ? 
 
 Of that feeling of respect which was inculcated into 
 us in early }-outh for our parents, teachers, and tutors, 
 and old age in general, there is not much to be per- 
 ceived here. The lessons in religion also seem to me 
 to miss their aim ; the children are overburdened with 
 learning numberless dates of ecclesiastical history, 
 while their hearts remain a barren soil. 
 
 The word of God and His holy commandments 
 should be taught more, and less time be bestowed on 
 subtle inquiries into indifferent matter. It will 
 surely always remain a vain longing of the short- 
 sighted human mind to fathom the innermost secrets 
 of nature and creation. I once read a beautiful and 
 impressive simile. Man's short life was there com- 
 pared with that of a moth, which first saw the light 
 of day within the walls of a large cathedral ; the 
 moth's short span of life expired long long before it 
 could realize one hundredth part of all the beauty and 
 mystery surrounding it — such is the life of man amid 
 the wonders of the universe. Let wise men continue 
 their investigations and their broodings ; but let them 
 cease cramming children's minds with dry unprofitable 
 stuff that the brain cannot digest and the soul sickens 
 with and dies. 
 
 I was shocked, in looking over some statistics on 
 
SCHOOLING IN THE EAST. 79 
 
 lunacy, to find that the majority of these deplorable 
 cases were returned from former students of high 
 schools and universities. A good mairy of these surely 
 were the victims of overpressure. I could not help 
 thinking of my native home, where lunatic asylums 
 are not needed, where I never saw but two maniacs, 
 and never heard of any others — and of these two, one 
 was a negress, the other a native of Hindustan. 
 
 As I previously said, I have no desire to criticise 
 European culture, nor am I able to do so ; I only 
 wished to speak of my own observations, which con- 
 vinced me that there are many sad failures in the 
 European educational system. But at all events, I 
 shall be pardoned if I question the right which 
 Europeans take upon themselves in deploring the fate 
 of a people as yet "unenlightened," and their justifi- 
 cation in forcibly imparting their civilization on the 
 same. I am firmly convinced, Arab born and bred as 
 I am, that all efforts on the part of Europeans to do 
 away, at a sweep, with the incarnate ignorance of 
 Mahometans, and to fly the flag of science and 
 learning, with even the smallest amount of precipita- 
 tion, will meet with barren effect. 
 
 Other nations, like the Japanese for instance, 
 whose creed and precepts are less binding than the 
 Mahometan, probably offer a more grateful soil — the 
 more so as they are naturally more desirous of step- 
 ping into the footprints of Europeans. 
 
 People frequently deride the Turkish half-culture, 
 and yet the Turks have striven much harder to become 
 civilized than is at all good for them. They have only 
 weakened themselves without achieving the desired 
 
80 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 end, because foreign culture is contrary and opposed 
 to their fundamental view3. Civilization cannot be 
 obtruded by force, and it will only be just to concede 
 to every nation the right of adhering without hindrance 
 to their views and institutions, which have in the 
 course of centuries been founded under the in- 
 fluence of ripened experience and practical worldly 
 wisdom. Above all, the pious Arab would be deeply 
 shocked if his civilization were to begin with lessons 
 on natural science, of which, according to the 
 European code of education, people are supposed to 
 know something. What would be his bewilderment if 
 any one were to talk to him of the laws of nature, who 
 sees in all the universe, down to its most infinitesimal 
 details, hut one source of creation — the all-guiding 
 and all-directing hand of God ! 
 
CHAPTER X. 
 
 YEARLY OUTFIT. TOILET AND FASHION IN OUR 
 HOUSEHOLD. 
 
 In Europe the father of a family generally makes his 
 wife and his unmarried daughters a certain monthly 
 or quarterly allowance for their dresses. This, how- 
 ever, is not the case with us. Zanzibar has no 
 manufacture of any kind, therefore all the clothing 
 and materials required for the entire population have 
 to be imported from foreign lands. 
 
 My father carried on an extensive barter trade for 
 the immense requirements of his various households. 
 Several of his large sailing ships were annually 
 despatched laden with produce (principally cloves) to 
 England, Marseilles, Persia, to the East Indies and to 
 China, and the net proceeds of these cargoes was 
 reinvested by our agents in these countries in such 
 goods as they had instructions to purchase. The 
 master of each vessel took an endless list of the goods 
 to be brought back, most of them being articles of 
 dress and fashion. 
 
 The day for the yearly distribution of these goods 
 depended, of course, upon the return of the ships. It 
 is but natural that this event was impatiently looked 
 
82 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 forward to ; it signified to us the beginning of a new 
 season of fashion, and the style and quality of our 
 finery for a whole year depended upon the contents 
 of the ships lying in our ports. 
 
 To us children this time also had an especial charm : 
 it brought all our beautiful toys from Europe. I 
 remember my frantic joy on one of these occasions at 
 being presented with a beautifully dressed doll — my 
 first one — a doll that cried and had teeth ! 
 
 Soon after the vessels had arrived in port, a day 
 was fixed on which the distribution of the cargo was 
 to take place to old and young, high and low, in the 
 house. Our younger brothers generally tried to find out 
 beforehand from the captains what toys they had 
 brought back. There were always twenty to thirty 
 cases, containing nothing but horses, carriages, dolls, 
 whips, fishes, and ducks, with magnets, musical boxes 
 of all sizes, concertinas, flutes, trumpets, guns, and 
 what not ! Woe to the captain whose goods did not 
 give satisfaction, for he was responsible for all he 
 brought back, having full power and positive orders 
 to buy only the best of everything, wherever he could 
 get it, without regard to price. 
 
 The distribution took place at Bet il Mtoni and at 
 Bet il Sahel, and it always took three to four days before 
 each of the hundreds of recipients had received his 
 share. The eunuchs had to do the unpacking, and 
 my elder brothers and sisters were entrusted with the 
 general apportioning. I regret to say, however, that 
 this time never went by without a good deal of heart- 
 burning and real or imaginary grievances. 
 
 The materials for clothing, costly and plain, were 
 
YEARLY OUTFIT. 83 
 
 delivered to each member of the family, after which 
 a lively exchange was carried on in the house for the 
 next fortnight — resulting in a general satisfaction all 
 round. There were musk, ambergris, numerous 
 Oriental oils, otfcar of roses and rosewater, saffron 
 (which, mixed with other ingredients, is used for 
 dressing the hair), silks of all colours, gold and silver 
 thread for fancy work, gilt and silver buttons —in 
 short, every article an Arab lady could desire — besides 
 which, to refund the outlay for various trifles, a cer- 
 tain sum of money (in Maria Theresia dollars) was 
 paid over to each, varying according to rank and age. 
 
 Sometimes it happened that an extravagantly 
 fashionable lady spent more in the course of a year 
 than she could well afford — in which case she would 
 have to appeal to father or husband for help. Such 
 requests were always kept very secret, for the lords of 
 Arabian households are as averse to recklessness as 
 their Northern brethren, and although the petitioner's 
 request was generally granted, it was also accompanied 
 with a wholesome reprimand. 
 
 Of course there were also people of economical pro- 
 pensities among the members of our household, and 
 these were of opinion that keeping slaves for mere 
 show — a custom with people of rank and wealth — 
 is a great piece of extravagance. They, therefore, had 
 their young women-slaves instructed in different 
 branches of trade, such as dressmaking, embroidering, 
 and lace-making, while the boys were employed in 
 saddlery, carpentering, and so on. The owners of 
 such slaves managed thus to greatly reduce their 
 expenditure, whilst those who were less provident gave 
 
84 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 their work out to be done, and paid heavily in pro- 
 portion. The slaves who had been brought up to some 
 kind of trade were more highly valued than those who 
 had not had this advantage, and were better able to 
 make a living when freed. In Oman, where but few 
 slaves are kept, it is a standing rule to have them 
 taught a trade that will be of use to their masters as 
 well as to themselves. For this reason, slaves are 
 frequently sent from Zanzibar to Oman for a practical 
 education. A negro or a negress of this class always 
 obtained a higher price. 
 
 If any visitors happened to be staying with us at 
 the time of distribution, they always received, by my 
 father's orders, a share of the presents, and even of 
 money — the residue of the cargoes being put aside in 
 store for our numerous relatives that came to see us 
 from Oman in the course of the year. 
 
 Our yearly outfit was of course adapted to, and very 
 much simplified by, our close proximity to the equator, 
 where we only know the four seasons by name. It 
 would Lave been rather a difficult matter to provide 
 garments for autumn, winter, and spring wear all at the 
 same time. The only winter we have is the rainy 
 season for some six or eight weeks, with a temperature 
 as low as 70° F. During this more wet than cold 
 season, velvets and stouter materials are worn. 
 
 All clothing was hand-made, as sewing-machines 
 were unknown in my time. All dresses rejoice in a 
 uniformly simple cut, alike for men and women, 
 differing only in materials and trimmings. The 
 abomination of tight-lacing, or lacing of any kind, has 
 not yet found its way into the elegant world of the 
 
YEARLY OUTFIT. 85 
 
 East — neither that fickle goddess, at whose shrine 
 there is so much blind and reckless worship in these 
 enlightened lands of Europe. 
 
 Of whatever rank or station an Arab woman may 
 be, her dress consists only of a shirt reaching down 
 to the ankles, trousers (not drawers), and a kerchief 
 for the head. The material varies, of course. Eich 
 people have gold brocades of many patterns, velvets 
 and silks richly trimmed. During the hot season plain 
 light calicoes or muslins are worn. Shirt and 
 trousers are never of the same pattern. The shirt 
 must not be too long, that it may not hide the rich 
 embroidery of the trousers or the two anklets ; a 
 number of little golden bells are suspended from one 
 of these, which make a pretty tinkling sound at every 
 step. Two long tasselled ribbons hang loosely over 
 the back or on both sides of the head, from the band 
 that is worn round the forehead. The silk kerchief 
 reaches down to the ankles. 
 
 In her walks an Arab lady puts on the " schele," 
 which is shawl, waterproof, and cloak, all in one. 
 The schele is a large shawl or mantilla of black silk, 
 more or less richly trimmed with gold or silver 
 borders, according to the wealth and taste of its 
 owner. This is the only wrapper an Arab lady uses 
 until it is completely worn out, its fashion never 
 changing ; even the greatest and richest ladies do not 
 possess more than one schele at a time. 
 
 That an Oriental lady, in the idle indolence of her 
 exotic home, and in the uncultured condition of her 
 mind, should give her finery a good deal of thought, 
 does not seem so very unpardonable. But what 
 
86 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 struck me, years ago, before I became accustomed to 
 the fact, was that the ladies I came into contact with 
 in my new European home, and who had, I knew, 
 from their childhood up, received the most thorough 
 and comprehensive mental training — that these ladies, 
 I say, should never find any other topic of con- 
 versation but the one all-important, all-engrossing — 
 dress. 
 
 During the rainy season the great Arab ladies wear 
 indoors the "djocha," a kind of cloak of cloth 
 trimmed with gold and silver embroidery. It is worn 
 open in front, only held together over the breast with 
 gold lacing. The elder ladies prefer a Persian shawl 
 to the djocha. This is the only covering to protect 
 us against the comparative coolness of winter or rainy 
 season. 
 
 I may mention that w r e had, in cases of emergency, 
 a kind of heating apparatus. It consisted of a brass 
 bowl, some 8 inches deep by 12 inches wide, on a 
 three-legged stand, w 7 hich was filled with burning 
 charcoal, and placed in the centre of the room, the 
 charcoal fire producing a very pleasant and mild heat. 
 This " mankah " served at the same time to roast the 
 green, freshly-gathered cobs of Indian corn. Doors 
 and windows were, however, always left open, even 
 when we had such a fire in the room. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 A PLANTATION. 
 
 My father owned forty-five plantations, scattered all 
 over the island. Fifty to sixty slaves were employed 
 as labourers on most of these estates, and as many as 
 five hundred on the larger ones, with an Arab overseer 
 to each estate. Two only of the plantations had real 
 palaces, six to eight had villas, and the remainder 
 merely had houses for the officials, and farm-build- 
 ings. For a stay of any length we could only visit 
 one of the first. 
 
 During my father's lifetime we could but seldom 
 leave the town, and then for a short time only, as he 
 was always too busily engaged, and preferred staying 
 at home. But as we all very much enjoyed such 
 visits to a plantation, we generally teased him till he 
 granted us permission to go. 
 
 These excursions always required great prepara- 
 tions, since it was no easy matter to provide properly 
 for so many people on a plantation some eight miles 
 distant, to which all the provisions had to be conveyed 
 upon the heads of negro slaves. Several hundred of 
 these came some days prior to our departure to carry 
 off all that was requisite. To the great annoyance 
 
88 MEMOIES OP AN ARABIAN PRINCESS, 
 
 of our cooks and chief eunuchs, into whose manage- 
 ment it was given, so much was destroyed and lost on 
 the road, that double the quantity actually required 
 had to be sent out. The overseers of the plantations 
 we visited always came off very well on these occa- 
 sions, for they were allowed to keep for their own use 
 what we left behind. 
 
 The night before the start most of us were too 
 excited to retire to rest, so instead we went and in- 
 spected our lovely white asses which were to carry us, 
 their tails having been dyed red with henna. 
 
 But those who happened to have no ass of their 
 own had either to stay at home, or to borrow one — 
 my father having no time to trouble himself with 
 such matters. 
 
 Matters were, however, greatly simplified when our 
 destination was a plantation on the seashore, for there 
 were plenty of boats to convey us and our provisions. 
 
 These excursions offered the welcome opportunity 
 to all the ladies for showing off their finery. How 
 they vied to outdo each other in splendour ! Indeed, 
 if one of these " belles " had set her heart upon 
 wearing a particular new garment, which did not 
 come home in time, she would bemoan her dis- 
 appointment by staying behind. 
 
 Our start was generally fixed for half-past five in 
 the morning, immediately after the first prayer. For 
 hours there has been noise and confusion in the court- 
 yard below — half-a-dozen voices calling down the 
 stairs, and as many shouting back ; slaves tumbling 
 over each other, and vociferating loudly — some- 
 times even cutting their arguments short by kicks and 
 
A PLANTATION. 89 
 
 cuffs. And mingled with all these various sounds 
 you heard the bray of the asses, intended, no doubt, 
 to remind you that they have been saddled for the 
 last hour. 
 
 Everything is ready at last, and the animals are 
 led into the road, and mounted. The slender and 
 weak eunuchs are likewise on horseback ; the black 
 slaves, however, are on foot. During the very 
 pleasant ride which now begins, many harmless 
 tricks are played and enjoyed to while away the hour. 
 
 The whole cavalcade looks very picturesque : the 
 white donkeys with their rich trappings of gold and 
 silver plates, jingling at every step, their high saddles 
 and splendid saddle-cloths, as well as our sturdy 
 runners in their clean white robes and their glittering 
 muskets. As the sun gets hotter, one of these slaves 
 runs by the side of each lady's animal with a large 
 parasol to protect the rider from the glare. Some of 
 the slaves trot along with one of the smaller children, 
 while the bigger ones, who cannot yet ride by them- 
 selves, are placed on the saddle with a eunuch. 
 
 We passed through the town at dawn, and kept 
 close together as long as we were within the city 
 walls ; but as soon as we had emerged into the open 
 country, all restraint was over, and we hurried along 
 as best we could. However much the eunuchs might 
 try to keep the procession together by calling out in 
 their thin voices to the riders of very fiery animals, 
 we generally arrived at the end of our journey in 
 separate small detachments. 
 
 The first and oldest of our slaves and the family of 
 
 the overseer, if he was married, were in attendance to 
 
 7 
 
90 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 receive us. But the overseer himself, conformably 
 with Eastern etiquette, did not show himself during 
 our whole stay. 
 
 Fruits Of all kinds were handed round immediately 
 after our arrival, and we sat down to breakfast at 
 once in the same order of rank as at home. After 
 breakfast we separated to amuse ourselves as we 
 might, quite unrestrainedly, for here we could wander 
 wherever we pleased, since no strangers were likely to 
 surprise us in the grounds. Only at meals and at 
 prayers the whole company met again. 
 
 Invitations from the adjoining estates soon followed, 
 and the ladies from the neighbourhood sent word to 
 announce their visits. Invitations and calls were 
 always intended for all the family ; while our guests 
 were received and entertained only by our elder brothers 
 and sisters, every member of the family was at liberty 
 to accept an invitation. 
 
 As it was impossible to provide the necessary 
 bedding for so many people, everybody lay down to 
 sleep on horse and saddle-cloths, their arm for a 
 pillow. 
 
 The quantities of eatables consumed on these ex- 
 cursions were really astounding. I have already said 
 that these were conveyed by many hundred slaves for 
 several days ; besides all this, our kind neighbours 
 insisted upon replenishing our store daily, in proof of 
 their friendly feeling. I need not say that many 
 cases of sickness occurred in consequence of this 
 bountiful feasting. 
 
 Dear old Ledda, the head of the customs, had 
 always shown, though a Banjan, rare loyalty and 
 
A PLANTATION. 91 
 
 great personal attachment to our family, and nothing 
 pleased the grey-haired star-worshipper more than to 
 think of some new amusement for us children. He 
 never forgot to send us pretty and curious presents, 
 ordered from hi3 Indian home, which invariably 
 included, besides sweetmeats, several baskets of fire- 
 works (fetak). He always sent an extra relay of these 
 latter when we made an excursion into the country, so 
 that our evenings were made very pleasant, watching 
 the effect of the beautiful Indian pyrotechnical con- 
 structions. But, failing those, we spent our evenings 
 in the gardens, looking on at the games and dancing 
 of the negroes. The negro dances are not nearly as 
 ugly and uncouth as some African travellers describe 
 them. When I first saw Europeans dance I did not 
 admire the art either, for the continual turning round 
 of the dancers made me feel giddy only to look. We 
 generally took them with us to the plantations for our 
 evening's entertainment. Their performances are 
 very clever, and they are well paid for them. They 
 may not receive the fabulous sums that are lavished 
 on great dancers in Europe, still they are sufficiently 
 well paid to ■ enable them to return to their Indian 
 homes in gladness, notwithstanding their extravagant 
 habits. They are, however, held in little esteem in 
 our country. 
 
 Such evenings in the East are truly romantic. 
 Fancy a numerous company of all complexions, 
 elegantly dressed — though somewhat fantastically and 
 gaudily — standing, sitting, and squatting in all direc- 
 tions, laughing and making harmless fun with all the 
 unconventional ease of Southerners — the whole 
 
92 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCES3. 
 
 framed in with the foliage of the most magnificent 
 trees, and bathed in the silvery light of an intensive 
 tropical moon ! Description fails me to do justice to 
 a scene which, however, once beheld, can never be 
 forgotten. 
 
 But the hour came at last, though not before the 
 greater part of the night was spent, when we felt it 
 was time to break the charm and retire to our rest. 
 
 On these excursions we often took a funny little 
 French girl and her two wild brothers, fourteen and 
 fifteen years old, the children of the French Consular 
 doctor. They all three talked Suahely very well, and 
 sang most amusing songs. The first time Claire 
 came with us, she caused a general burst of laughter 
 at bed-time, when she appeared in her white European 
 nightgown. We had never heard of such a thing 
 before, for everybody in the East lies down to sleep in 
 the dress worn during the day — at least, in washing 
 dresses, not in a costume made of velvet or gold 
 brocade. 
 
 During a protracted stay, our father used to pay us 
 flying visits of a few hours at a time, for he always 
 returned to town in the evening. On such occasions 
 mounted couriers kept up an uninterrupted communi- 
 cation between the town and our plantation. 
 
 We rarely undertook these excursions at harvest- 
 time, so as not to interrupt the slaves in their labour. 
 Cloves have a peculiarity of ripening quite suddenly, 
 so that it requires the greatest exertions to gather in 
 the crops at the right moment. Kice, too, makes a 
 quick harvest, while more time can be taken over 
 gathering in the sugar-cane, cocoanuts, sweet potatoes, 
 
A PLANTATION. 93 
 
 and other produce. Cattle is never used for farming 
 purposes, and scarcely any agricultural implements, 
 not even the most simple plough, is known. All the 
 work is performed by hand ; the ground is dug with 
 spades, and the rice cut in sheaves with a common 
 little straight knife. The master or the mistress of 
 the estate frequently joins in the work during the clove 
 harvest, to stimulate their negro slaves, whose inborn 
 idleness requires a great deal of shaking up ; but since 
 this cannot be done individually, they have a task set 
 them, proportionate with their age and strength. 
 Anything in excess of this task is rewarded, and the 
 shortcomings are punished. The only really busy time 
 of the year, then, is the harvest. The ground in that 
 gracious clime almost takes care of itself. No manure 
 is ever used, except the straw that is sometimes 
 burnt. 
 
 The length of our stay was determined by my 
 father, and he fixed the day on which, between half- 
 past six and half-past seven o'clock, p.m., we had to 
 be back in town. The family of the overseer received 
 suitable gifts on our departure, which my father him- 
 self selected,, and we were always accompanied some 
 distance by our lady friends from the neighbouring 
 estates. An escort of about one hundred and fifty 
 soldiers were sent to meet and conduct us into the 
 city. In spite of their heavy accoutrements (every 
 man carried musket, shield, lance, sword, and dagger) 
 they always managed to keep pace with our beasts. 
 
 We were not allowed to neglect our evening prayers, 
 even during the journey. The company halted some- 
 where near the town, generally at Ngambo, or at 
 
94 
 
 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 Muasimodja, and prayers were said in the open air on 
 mats which everybody carried for the purpose. Sup- 
 posing a mat was lost or left behind, the worshipper 
 would kneel on the giant leaf of amoz tree (plantain), 
 as none other but a vegetable substance may be 
 used. 
 
 When it was dark a number of very large lanterns 
 were lighted ; then we once more resumed our saddles 
 and entered through the gates like a procession from 
 fairyland. 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 MY FATHER'S VOYAGE. 
 
 I was about nine years old when my father determined 
 to visit his old empire of Oman, on a tour of inspec- 
 tion, as was his wont in the course of every three to 
 four years, my eldest brother, Tueni (incorrectly 
 called Sueni at times) acting as regent and head of 
 the family at Mesket. 
 
 There was besides an urgent reason this time for 
 my father's voyage. The Persians had made several 
 incursions in the neighbourhood of Bender Abbas, 
 which, though of little account in themselves, might 
 easily have caused complications of a more serious 
 nature. This small territory in Persia, rather impor- 
 tant from the fact of its commanding the entrance to 
 the Persian Gulf, had not only given infinite trouble, 
 but proved a great expense to my father ever since his 
 occupation of it. We were deprived of it again by 
 the Persians at a later date, which was hardly a matter 
 for regret ; there was no peace for us till they had 
 succeeded, neither could we blame their efforts. 
 
 We owned no steamers at the time I speak of, 
 and the departure of our sailing-ships was retarded 
 by the absence of fair wind. It took at least eight or 
 
96 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 ten weeks before all preparations were completed and 
 all the provisions put on board ; the baking of the 
 captain biscuits alone took up much time, as about 
 one thousand persons had to be provided for ten 
 weeks. Salt beef we did not know, and preserves were 
 of no use, as they were " haram " (i.e., unclean, accor- 
 ding to our dietary laws) ; it was therefore necessary 
 to ship an immense quantity of live stock, and a dozen 
 milk cows ; it is impossible to state what were the 
 quantities of fruit supplied by our forty -live planta- 
 tions for the voyage, but they amply account for the 
 many cases of dysentery which occurred. 
 
 All sons had permission to join in an expedition of 
 this kind; but only few of the daughters, on ac- 
 count of the inconveniences caused by women in 
 travelling; and only a couple of the most favoured 
 Sarari. 
 
 Few of us cared much about going to Oman, as the 
 proud Oman ladies rather regarded Zanzibar women 
 as uncivilized creatures. Even our brothers and 
 sisters there were not free from this conceit, and all 
 the members of our family born in Oman thought 
 themselves much better and of higher rank than any 
 of their African relations. In their opinion we were 
 somewhat like negroes, as we had been brought up 
 amongst these ; and our speaking any other language 
 but Arabic was the greatest proof of barbarity in their 
 eyes. 
 
 A great number of my brothers and sisters and 
 countless relations lived in Oman, most of the latter 
 in reduced circumstances, and supported* by my 
 father's bounty. All these expected presents on his 
 
MY father's voyage. 97 
 
 arrival, and, in consequence, his luggage was some- 
 what formidable. 
 
 It was also a welcome opportunity for sending 
 messages to friends in distant Asia, with whom none 
 but the feeblest correspondence had been kept up. 
 The general ignorance in writing was a great hin- 
 drance to this, and it can hardly be conceived to what 
 straits most people were put to meet this difficulty. 
 They had to get their letters written by strangers, and 
 strangers again were employed to read them. The 
 services of my brothers and of all the male slaves 
 conversant with the art where at such times in great 
 demand ; but if, from pressure of work or from un- 
 willingness, not an unfrequent case, these services 
 could not be secured, then the compositions were en- 
 trusted into the hands of utter strangers. Needless 
 to say that such epistles must have greatly fallen short 
 of what would be considered private and confidential 
 in this countiy. 
 
 The following may, for instance, prove a case in 
 point. A fine lady calls up her body-servant and says, 
 " Feruz, go to such or such a Kadi, and ask him to 
 write a beautiful letter to my friend in Oman for me ; 
 pay him whatever he asks for it." Then Feruz is told 
 quite a number of things which the Kadi is to put into 
 the letter. The Kadi, however, may be greatly pressed 
 for time, as he has a dozen such letters or more on 
 hand, therefore it can hardly be a matter of surprise 
 that he jumbles up the different orders. And Feruz 
 returns in triumph to his mistress : " Here are your 
 letters, Bibi ! " The lady, however, being of a cautious 
 turn of mind, goes to some literate person, and desires 
 
98 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 to know what the letter contains. But picture to 
 yourself her amazement and indignation when she 
 hears that the letter, which was intended to convey 
 her congratulations upon some joyful event, is couched 
 in terms of the deepest condolence. Or in another 
 instance the case may have been exactly reversed. 
 Consequently nearly every letter has to be written 
 over several times and by different people, until it 
 contains at last something of the desired meaning. 
 
 Everything was ready at last. The ship Kitorie, 
 i.e., Victoria (in honour of Her Majesty Queen Vic- 
 toria), was to convey my father and his family ; 
 and two or three other vessels took on board his 
 retinue, the servants, and the luggage. This was 
 but a small fleet to carry such a crowd of pas- 
 sengers. However, Eastern travellers require very 
 little room and no cabin of their own ; everybody 
 looks out for a place on deck at night where he can 
 lie down and go to sleep on his mat. 
 
 The retinue and the slaves embarked first; next 
 followed the women about five o'clock in the morning ; 
 and, lastly, my father with his sons at noon. My 
 brothers Chalid and Madjid, with some of the younger 
 ones, accompanied the travellers on board, and re- 
 mained there until the ships weighed anchor, the 
 Kitorie firing a last parting salute of twenty-one guns 
 to the country and to the family collected on the 
 shore. 
 
 The house settled down now to great quiet, though 
 it was as crowded as before. Every one felt the 
 absence of the head of the family, and we led hence- 
 forth a somewhat retired life. My brother Chalid, as 
 
MY FATHERS VOYAGE. 99 
 
 the eldest of the remaining sons, now reigned in Zan- 
 zibar in my father's place ; several times a week he 
 came to see us to assure himself of our welfare, and 
 he went a3 often to Bet il Mtoni to look after its in- 
 mates there, but especially to receive any orders our 
 exalted step-mother might wish to give. 
 
 As head of the family, Chalid was very strict, and 
 we often had reason to complain of his harsh measures. 
 It may suffice to mention two instances here. A fire 
 broke out at Bet il Sahel once, which was fortunately 
 soon extinguished. When it began we all rushed to 
 the gates in our terror, but found them locked and 
 guarded by soldiers, who had been ordered there by 
 Chalid, to prevent our being recklessly exposed to 
 public view in the broad daylight. 
 
 Another time he rudely turned a distant relation of 
 ours, who possessed great influence in Zanzibar, out 
 of the mosque because he had dared to propose for one 
 of my sisters in that building, nor was the poor suitor 
 permitted to show himself for months after, either in 
 the daily assembly or in the mosque to which Chalid 
 went to prayers. It however came to pass that the 
 rejected suitor married another sister of ours some 
 years later, after Chalid' s and my father's decease. 
 
 The latter had appointed my sister Chole to act as 
 lady superintendent during his absence both in Bet il 
 Sahel and Bet il Mtoni, to the great annoyance of 
 many. It may well be conceived that this " bright 
 star " of our house felt anything but comfortable in 
 her new position, reaping nothing but ingratitude and 
 jealousy from her office, since, notwithstanding her 
 sweetness of temper, she found it impossible to please 
 
100 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 everybody ; few only were reasonable enough to con- 
 sider that hers was but a limited power. It was no 
 fault of hers that she was so much preferred by my 
 father ; unfortunately, however, envy was too strong — 
 it positively blinded all reason in her opponents. 
 
 In the meantime our vessels had sailed several 
 times between Oman and Zanzibar, and brought news 
 and presents from our father, which always created 
 much joy and pleasure in our midst. 
 
 Unfortunately, our brother Chalid was shortly 
 after called away by our Lord. Madjid, the son next 
 in age, now succeeded in the regency, and contrived 
 to gain the goodwill of all by his kind and gentle 
 manners. 
 
 A vessel arrived at last one day from Mesket with 
 the joyful news that our father was about to leave 
 Oman for Zanzibar. It soon spread all over the 
 country, and caused great satisfaction everywhere, as 
 he had now been absent three years, and had been 
 missed very much. Those even who were not per- 
 sonally attached to him looked forward to his return 
 with pleasure on account of the many presents he was 
 expected to bring back with him from Oman for young 
 and old, and preparations for his reception were made 
 everywhere, just as if we were about to celebrate one 
 of our great holy days. 
 
 However, the time which was generally allowed for 
 the voyage from Oman to Zanzibar passed away, and 
 no ships arrived, which caused great uneasiness to us 
 and to the whole country. The Arabs are fond of 
 consulting so-called seers in the future, and nowhere 
 this habit prevails so much as in Zanzibar. I verily 
 
MY FATHER'S VOYAGE. 101 
 
 believe no gipsies in Europe can in any way equal the 
 craftiness and mendacity of their Suahelian brethren ; 
 but, then, where else would one find such unbounded 
 and foolish credulity to encourage their wiles. 
 
 No means were left untried which possibly might 
 help to throw a light on the whereabouts of the three 
 overdue ships ; some of the oracles then were fetched 
 many miles off from the most remote nooks in the 
 country, most of them belonging to the tribe of the 
 Wachadimu — if old, they were brought in triumph 
 riding on donkeys. 
 
 The most remarkable of all these diviners was sup- 
 posed to be a woman, of whom the story went that 
 she, or rather her unborn child, could look into the 
 future. Such a monster was quite beyond anything 
 that had ever been heard of before, and had, there- 
 fore, to be procured at whatever cost it might be. One 
 afternoon (I have never forgotten the scene) this 
 prophetess, appalling and unwieldy in size, arrived. 
 Her unborn child was said to be omniscient — it could 
 tell what thiugs were on the highest mountain tops as 
 well as in the nethermost depths of the sea. Now it 
 was to tell us how our father was, and why his return 
 was so much delayed. In quite an audible, squeaking 
 voice the monster reported its observations, while the 
 company stood around spellbound. It pretended to 
 see several three -mast vessels far away on the high 
 seas steering for Zanzibar ; then it proposed getting 
 on one of the mast-tops of my father's ship to see 
 what was going on on board. After a while it re- 
 ported with full details what every one there was 
 doing. Finally it ordered sacrifices to be brought to 
 
102 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 the spirits of the sea to secure their future favour 
 with which to shield the travellers from possible evil. 
 As a matter of course the commands of this mysterious 
 voice were obeyed to the letter, and the legion of pro- 
 fessional beggars with which our beautiful island is 
 infested could for several days indulge to their hearts' 
 content in plenteousness of meat, fowls, and rice, which 
 were distributed amongst them, together with clothing 
 and money, as acts of propitiation. 
 
 I w 7 as not a little ashamed at a later time to per- 
 ceive that we had simply been duped by a ventrilo- 
 quist. At that time, however, we all firmly believed 
 in the wonderful child that could reveal the invisible 
 and read the secrets of the future as from a book. 
 Even now it is not quite clear to me whether the 
 woman w r as really a conscious imposter or a dupe 
 herself. No one had ever heard of a ventriloquist in 
 our country, so that, as no denunciation was forth- 
 coming in the shape of a satisfactory explanation, we 
 went on implicitly believing. 
 
 In our parts people are fond of everything super- 
 natural ; the more mysterious and incomprehensible 
 it appears the more faith it receives. Everybody 
 believes in spirits, good and evil. At the decease of 
 any one the chamber of death is for days fumigated 
 w'ith incense, and as it is a general belief that the 
 soul of the departed has a longing to return to and 
 especially prefers to stay in its former abode, no 
 person cares to enter the same in the daytime, and 
 flies from it at night. 
 
 Superstition rules supreme. In cases of sickness, 
 of betrothal, of pregnancy, on all possible occasions, 
 
my fathek's voyage. 103 
 
 the help of female prophets is called in — they are 
 required to know and to tell if the disease can be 
 cured, and how long it is to last, if the betrothal may 
 be considered a happy one, whether the expected 
 child will be a boy or a girl, and so on. If, as on 
 frequent occasions, the very contrary happens, the 
 prophetess screens herself behind numerous subter- 
 fuges and excuses. She declares herself to have been 
 under the effects of an evil star that day, and trusts 
 to be more successful next time ; and this explanation 
 is made to do — and does do. Certain it is they prosper 
 and grow very rich. 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 DEATH-NEWS. 
 
 Day after day and week after week passed away with- 
 out my father's return ; the only pastime we had was 
 to listen to prophecies of the kind I have just de- 
 scribed, and which, if they did no other good, at least 
 shortened our suspense. One afternoon at last, while 
 most of us were engaged at prayers, the gladdening 
 news spread that a fisherman had seen several ships 
 bearing our flag on the high sea, but that he had not 
 dared to approach them on account of the stormy 
 weather. That could be no one but our father ! 
 All hurried away to dress in their best, which had 
 been kept in readiness for weeks. We always expressed 
 our pleasure at the return of a dear relation from a 
 voyage or from a victorious campaign in this way, 
 while we showed our regret at parting by putting 
 on our plainest and most simple garments. 
 
 While the fisherman was still repeating over and 
 over again that he had reported the truth, a mounted 
 courier had been despatched to our high step-mother 
 at Bet il Mtoni to inform her of the news. Cattle 
 were slaughtered, the cooks had plenty of work in the 
 kitchen, and the rooms were freshly perfumed. By 
 
DEATH-NEWS. 105 
 
 the fisherman's report the vessels might be expected 
 to arrive within two to three hours. 
 
 Madjid and his retinue hastened to join his father 
 on board. They started in two cutters, battling 
 against a heavy sea, which threatened to swamp them 
 every moment. They hoped to be back again by 
 seven o'clock in the evening with our father ; but man 
 proposes and God disposes. 
 
 Time went on. Seven o'clock had long since gone 
 by and the vessels were not yet in sight. The whole 
 town was in a fever of excitement — we in the house 
 were of course the most restless of all. Many of us 
 had forebodings of coming evil; still, we never dreamt 
 of what we were to hear so soon. It was feared that 
 Madjid and his companions had perished in the raging 
 storm, and that my father's arrival had been retarded 
 by witnessing this terrible accident. By degrees the 
 belief gained ground that all the ships, both large and 
 small ones, had foundered in the hurricane. Con- 
 jectures upon conjectures were made, and nobody, 
 not. even the smallest children, cared to go to bed, 
 until the absent ones had arrived safe. 
 
 News suddenly spread, which at first no one would 
 credit. The whole palace was said to be surrounded, 
 and to be strongly guarded, by several hundred 
 soldiers. We rushed to the windows in hopes to get 
 at the truth of this report. The night was pitch 
 dark, and we could distinguish nothing but the gleam- 
 ing matches of the soldiers, a sight which did not 
 help to pacify us ; moreover, it was said that the 
 soldiers allowed no one to pass in or out of our doors. 
 
 What had occurred ? why were we locked in ? of 
 
106 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 course everybody wanted to know. Who, it was 
 asked, had ordered such a measure ? As far as we 
 knew, Madjid had not returned ; his house was like- 
 wise surrounded by the same gloomy, silent guard 
 watching ours, and we could discern his people 
 anxiously running about the house with lights. 
 
 We were the worse off, as all the eunuchs and male 
 slaves slept out of the house, so there were but 
 women and children left. A few of the stoutest 
 hearted gained the front hall of the ground floor, 
 separated only by a door from the large guard-room 
 on the other side of the portal, where they could 
 easily speak to the soldiers through the hall windows. 
 They, however, sternly refused all information, in 
 obedience to their orders ; and at last, when the 
 slaves, one and all, lifted up their voices in wailing 
 and lamentation, the soldiers threatened to fire on 
 them. 
 
 The whole place was in a dreadful state of confu- 
 sion ; some women cried and abused the invisible evil 
 power that kept us locked up, the most devout ones 
 said their pikers, and the children shrieked and 
 screamed on all sides and could not be pacified. Any 
 one suddenly dropped in on this wild scene might 
 easily have taken it for a lunatic asylum. 
 
 Morning dawned at last, and still we had not learned 
 why we were kept prisoners and where Madjid could 
 be. In spite, however, of the general excitement and 
 anxiety, everybody grew orderly at the time fixed for 
 morning prayer. But who can fancy our horror 
 when, after prayers, we observed our fleet at anchor, 
 and mourning flags flying in the breeze ! How can I 
 
DEATH-NEWS. 107 
 
 describe our grief when the gates were opened early 
 in the morning and our brothers entered the house 
 without our father ! 
 
 Then only did we realize that the black flags were 
 flying for him, and that we and the whole country 
 had sustained an irreparable loss. Our dear father 
 was no more ! On the passage from Oman to Zanzi- 
 bar, surrounded only by a few of his children and 
 followers, he had been called away by the Lord, whom 
 he had faithfully and humbly served all his life. The 
 wound in his leg, from which he had so long suffered, 
 had put an end to his existence. 
 
 He had not only been the most loving and devoted 
 head of his own family, but also a most conscientious 
 king, and a true father to his people. The general 
 mourning on his death proved how sincerely he had 
 been loved by all. Black flags hung from every 
 house, and even the smallest hut fastened up a piece 
 of black stuff. 
 
 We soon learned from Bargasch, who had been on 
 the same ship, and who had been present at our 
 father's death, all particulars of his illness and of his 
 end. To him we were indebted that the dear remains 
 had not been sunk into the sea, as is ordained by the 
 Mahometan law. It was at his urgent request they 
 were placed in a coffin and brought on to Zanzibar. 
 His great love and respect for our dear father had 
 prompted him to take this course, though he thereby 
 seriously trespassed against our customs and our 
 religion. Our law does not permit the use of a coffin 
 either to prince or to beggar — the body is to be placed 
 into the earth, and so return to it once more. 
 
108 MEMOIRS OP AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 We were also informed now of the reason why 
 we had been so strongly guarded the night before. 
 Madjid and his companions had suffered severely 
 from the storm, and had given themselves up as lost. 
 Their small boats were only built for coasting service, 
 so they stood in great peril of their lives before they 
 reached the ships they were in search for. When 
 they did at last board thek father's vessel they found 
 Bargasch gone. As eldest son he had taken the 
 command of the fleet, and when in sight of the land 
 had quietly gone on shore with the body, to have it 
 interred secretly and unobserved in our burial-place. 
 
 There is an old tradition that, disputes on the 
 succession to the throne must be settled in presence 
 of the body of the deceased ruler, under the suppo- 
 sition that the veneration paid to the deceased will 
 always assist the legitimate successor. Bargasch 
 wanted to be ruler, but knowing that his elder 
 brother's claims were better supported, ho resolved 
 to act before he could be met with opposition. He 
 relied upon carrying out his plan by the force of 
 arms, and above all by the suddenness of his opera- 
 tions. 
 
 He had, therefore, on landing, ordered the troops 
 to surround our house and Madjid's. But his plan 
 miscarried, principally because he failed in taking 
 Madjid prisoner. Bargasch afterwards tried to plead 
 in excuse of his conduct that he had been desirous to 
 avoid a revolution. 
 
 Madjid, who had carried on the government of 
 Zanzibar since Chalid's death, maintained it now, 
 and proclaimed himself sovereign on the following 
 
DEATH-NEWS. 109 
 
 morning. But doubts still prevailed whether he really 
 were our legitimate chief, or whether our eldest 
 brother, who always resided in Oman, would not 
 endeavour forcibly to obtain the power to which he 
 was entitled by birth. 
 
CHAPTEE XIV. 
 
 OUR MOURNING. 
 
 Many formalities had to be observed during our time 
 of mourning. In the first place, old and young people 
 had to put aside their costly garments, to replace 
 them by coarse black cotton dresses, and plain black 
 stuff instead of the richly-embroidered veils. Oint- 
 ments and all kinds of perfumery were strictly 
 avoided, and the woman who tried to remove the 
 smell arising from the dye of her black dress by 
 sprinkling over it some drops of rose water or ottar 
 of roses was called heartless, or at least frivolous. 
 During the first few days none of the grown-up 
 people slept in their beds, in proof of their love for 
 our departed father, whose body was lying wrapped 
 in the cold ground. 
 
 For more than a fortnight our house resembled a 
 large hotel. All persons, prince as well as beggar, 
 were at liberty to enter and eat. It is an old custom 
 to have the favourite dish of the deceased prepared 
 on such occasions for distribution amongst the poor. 
 
 The wives of the departed, the legitimate and 
 those purchased as slaves, submit to a special re- 
 ligious mourning for a period of four months. These 
 unfortunate widows have to mourn their husband and 
 
OUR MOURNING. Ill 
 
 master in a dark room all the time, nor are they 
 allowed to step out into the light of day, much less 
 into sunlight. A Terike (widow), who is compelled 
 to leave her darkened apartment and to pass the 
 gallery, throws a thick black cloak over her veil, and 
 covers herself up in such a manner that she can just 
 see her way. In consequence the eyes get quite 
 unused to the light, and it requires always great 
 caution to re-accustom them gradually to daylight 
 after the expiration of the term of mourning. 
 
 The widows are formally bound .over to their state 
 of widowhood by the Kadi, before whom they appear 
 deeply veiled, and are released again by the same 
 person under like formalities after the lapse of four 
 months. On the day on which the widows receive 
 back their liberty they pass through a great many 
 ceremonies founded on dark superstition, f Firstly, 
 they wash themselves all at the same time from head 
 to foot, while the women slaves stand behind their 
 mistresses beating together two sword blades over 
 their heads (poor people use nails as a rattle, for it 
 must be an iron substance) .") The number of my 
 father's widows beiug too large to enable the per- 
 formance of this ceremony within the baths, it had 
 to be done on the beach, and a very curious spectacle 
 it was. 
 
 The widow now puts on other clothing, and not till 
 then is she free to marry again. All the male mem- 
 bers of our family and our slaves had had free access 
 to the house up till then, but after the lapse of these 
 four months our mothers were only visible to our 
 brothers alone. 
 
112 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 During the first year of our mourning some of us 
 regularly visited our father's tomb every Thursday, 
 on the eve of the Mahometan Sunday. The tomb 
 was a square building supported by a cupola, in 
 which several of our brothers and sisters had been 
 buried before. After saying the first Sura of the 
 Kuran (the Mahometan Lord's Prayer) and other 
 prayers, and after calling upon the Almighty to have 
 mercy upon the departed, and to forgive their sins, 
 ottar of roses and other essences are sprinkled over 
 the graves, which are also fumigated with amber and 
 musk amidst loud lamentations. 
 
 The Mahometan has an implicit faith in immor- 
 tality, and believes that the soul of the dead is 
 allowed, unobserved of course, occasionally to revisit 
 its former abode. For this reason people like to visit 
 the graves of their dead, to keep up intercourse with 
 their immortal souls by imparting to them all their 
 own joys and griefs. Their memory is honoured in 
 every way ; and a Mahometan who swears by the 
 head or by the name of his dead, would sooner perish 
 than turn false to his oath. 
 
 During the mourning of our mothers, everything in 
 our house remained unchanged, and no business was 
 allowed to be transacted. Moreover, everything had 
 first to be settled with our relations in Oman, to 
 whom a vessel had been despatched with the news of 
 our loss. Of course we discussed the question every 
 day how Tueni would act, who, as the eldest son, was 
 the legitimate successor to the government : whether 
 he would come to some amicable arrangement with 
 Mad j id, or involve us in a family feud. 
 
OUR MOURNING. 
 
 113 
 
 Some months later our brother Mhammed arrived 
 as the representative of all our brothers and sisters 
 in Oman, to arrange about the division of the in- 
 heritance. He returned to Mesket immediately after 
 having settled this matter. Mhammed was considered 
 the most pious of our whole family, who from his 
 early youth had never cared for worldly things. 
 Averse to all show and splendour, and perfectly in- 
 different to worldly goods, he had never been happy 
 in his station as prince. Disdainful of wealth, he had 
 always dressed very plainly, and nothing vexed him 
 more than the luxury and extravagance he met with 
 at Zanzibar, to which he was quite unaccustomed in 
 Oman ; he never got over it all the time he was with 
 us — indeed, his aversion to his surroundings made 
 him hasten his departure to the utmost. In that 
 primitive home of ours at Oman he could once more 
 resume the life that was suited to his tastes and 
 habits. 
 
 The question of the succession was still pending. 
 Madjicl, who had the power in his hands in Zanzibar, 
 did not seem to trouble himself as to what Tueni, 
 who had succeeded in the government of Oman, might 
 have to say about his usurped rights ; but certainly 
 Tueni never acknowledged him as Sultan of Zanzibar. 
 An agreement was afterwards entered into between 
 them through the mediation of the English, in which 
 the payment of an annual sum by Madjid to his 
 elder brother was stipulated. The former, however, 
 did not keep to the terms of the treaty, for he dis- 
 continued the payment, which he was afraid might 
 be regarded as a tribute, and himself as a vassa 
 
114 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 of Oman. Tueni had no means of defending his 
 rights. He had more fighting than enough in the one 
 territory of Oman, without engaging in a war with 
 his wealthy brother, which must have resulted in the 
 utter ruin of his country's resources. Thus, in the 
 absence of a satisfactory compact between the two 
 powers, Oman and Zanzibar have since remained two 
 distinct and independent sovereignties. 
 
 No difficulty had arisen, on the other hand, in the 
 division of our late father's private property between 
 Mhammed and ourselves. Unlike European nations, 
 we do not keep up a State with public funds, or with 
 an inland revenue. Neither is there a public ex- 
 chequer. All the proceeds arising from customs 
 duties are paid into the sovereign's treasury, as also 
 those accruing from his plantations, he being the 
 largest landowner in the island. From this source 
 alone all public expenses are paid. 
 
 In my time there were no income or other taxes, 
 nor ground rents, of which there is such a plentiful 
 crop in Europe. 
 
 The whole of this private property was divided 
 between the brothers and sisters ; even the men-of- 
 war were included and accounted for in Madjid's and 
 Tueni's shares, who took them over at a certain 
 valuation. The Mahometan law of inheritance 
 favours sons much more than daughters, for the 
 reason that a man has to maintain a family, which a 
 woman has not. Each of the sisters received in 
 consequence only half of what fell to the share of our 
 brothers. 
 
 My brother Ealub, my old playmate at Bet il Mtoni, 
 
OUR MOURNING. 115 
 
 and myself were declared of age at the same time, 
 though we were neither quite twelve years old. 
 This was rather early, even with our customs, hut the 
 times were exceptional ones, and many unlooked-for 
 changes took place in our family. Both of us re- 
 ceived our share of the inheritance, and we had now 
 to manage for ourselves, young as we still were. 
 Madjid acted as guardian to our younger hrothers 
 and sisters, whose property he undertook to manage. 
 
 In his last will my father had directed that those 
 of his widows who had no children should receive 
 an annuity for life, while those who had children 
 were to have a capital paid down, which, how- 
 ever, was comparatively small. It was no doubt 
 his intention that the children should make a 
 home for their mothers, whose limited incomes 
 made this dependence absolutely necessary. But 
 our father had judged us correctly. I am happy to 
 state, to the honour of all (there were thirty-six of 
 us alive at the time of his death), that none failed 
 in their trust. Our mothers were loved and honoured 
 as before, and not one of us ever took undue advantage 
 of the favoured position in which we found ourselves. 
 Indeed, such an act would have justly deserved con- 
 demnation — for may she have been a born princess 
 or a purchased slave, no one can replace our mother ; 
 she needs neither rank nor wealth with her child ; 
 with love and respect alone can we in a measure 
 repay the sacred debt we owe her. 
 
 Shortly after the division of the inheritance our 
 house, so crowded up to this time, became rather 
 lonely and empty. A number of my brothers and 
 
116 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 sisters, with their mothers and their personal slaves, 
 removed from Bet il Sahel to set up house for them- 
 selves. As my sisters Chole, Schewane, and Asche 
 were still staying on, I continued to live with my 
 mother at Bet il Tani for some time more. 
 
 There were also many changes at Bet il Mtoni. 
 Zemzem removed to her estate until she married, 
 and Metle went to hers. It was indeed high time 
 that those of us who were now independent left the 
 large houses to make room for our younger brothers 
 and sisters. 
 
 During our father's lifetime we had all, figuratively 
 speaking, helped ourselves out of one dish, but things 
 were now completely changed. Those who had re- 
 ceived their share of the inheritance were supposed 
 to manage for themselves henceforth ; the old aspect 
 remained the same only for the little ones, their 
 mothers and slaves, and for the widows without 
 children. It was Madjid's business to look after 
 these now, for which purpose their allowances were 
 given into his keeping. 
 
CHAPTEE XY. 
 
 ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 
 
 In the course of my narrative I have already spoken 
 of several of my brothers and sisters. I do not know 
 how many I had in all, as a great number died before 
 my father, but I have reason to think that their total 
 was about one hundred. Thirty-six of them were 
 alive when my father died, eighteen sons and eighteen 
 daughters. It would hardly be interesting to the 
 reader to be told the history of each one. But I 
 cannot refrain from describing some of them, feeling 
 convinced that I shall thereby be able to invest the 
 picture of my old home with some life and colouring. 
 
 1. Scharife. 
 
 My father, who was the head of and personally 
 conducted all the affairs of government, found little 
 leisure to occupy himself with his younger children, 
 but to the grown-up ones he was all the more lovable. 
 It made the little ones very jealous to have to remain 
 standing before him like little waxworks while the 
 elder sisters were allowed to sit on the sofa by his 
 side. The object of my bitterest envy was my sister 
 Scharife, and the thorn in my brother's side was 
 Hilal. 
 
118 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCE3S. 
 
 Scharife, the daughter of a Circassian, was of 
 dazzling beauty, with a complexion fair as a 
 European's. She was very clever besides, and a 
 much trusted adviser of my father's, who consulted 
 her on every important matter, and, as I was told 
 afterwards, he never once regretted having followed 
 her advice. This surely proves that woman in the 
 East is not quite a cipher. 
 
 For a short period only they had a slight disagree- 
 ment. Following her own inclination, Scharife had 
 married a cousin of ours who did not appear to my 
 father to possess those qualities of character which 
 he clesired in the husband of his darling daughter. 
 At first she kept aloof from her paternal home until 
 my father's displeasure had subsided. She had, 
 however, made a happy choice, and remained the 
 only wife of her husband; her one child, Schaun, 
 a very beautiful boy, whom she passionately loved, 
 but brought up very strictly, was my playmate. 
 Every Friday he came to us with his mother, always 
 bringing me some trilling gift, in particular when the 
 ships came from Mesket with the Monsoon (Arab, 
 Mossem). Scharife had many relations there, and 
 was very fond of Mesket, where she died, having 
 accompanied our father on his last trip to that place. 
 
 2. Chole. 
 
 When I went to Bet il Sahel first, Chole became my 
 favourite in place of Scharife. She was also a special 
 pet of my father's, whom she had won by her charm- 
 ing manners, her grace and bright spirits. I have 
 never met with a more perfectly moulded figure. 
 
ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 119 
 
 She dressed with great taste, and everything seemed 
 to suit her. In plain cotton dresses she eclipsed 
 all others wearing the most costly garments. Her 
 opinion on all matters of fashion was considered as in- 
 fallible as that of the Empress Eugenie in her time. 
 
 Her mother, who was from Mesopotamia, was so 
 clever and circumspect, that my father appointed her 
 superintendent of the household at Bet il Sahel. 
 Chole had much to suffer from her sister Asche, who 
 was considerably older, but she bore all with meek 
 patience. ( She always turned a. deaf ear on those 
 people who wanted to slander Asche in her presence. 
 It was only I who knew how deeply pained she was 
 by her sister's conduct, for in spite of my youth she 
 confided all her sorrows to me, and I knew all her 
 secrets. She often said to me with tears : v " 0, Salme, 
 what have I done, and how can I help it that my 
 father is pleased to favour me ? Do I not share with 
 her all the presents he gives me ? And am I to 
 blame that he always requires my services ? " 
 
 I am sorry to say there were many in the house 
 who regarded her with the same envious feeling. 
 Sweet words were not wanting to court her interces- 
 sion with my father, but as soon as the desired end 
 was attained her ungrateful suppliants again resumed 
 their unloving attitude. She assisted her mother in 
 superintending the household, and later on was her- 
 self called to fill this office, and, as it was impossible 
 to please and satisfy everybody in such an overcrowded 
 palace, there were opportunities enough for complaints. 
 If among our huge supplies of provisions there should 
 be found a flaw in either fish, flesh, fowl, or fruit, it 
 
120 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 was Chole's fault ; if some of the purchases made for 
 the house and distributed failed to give unequivocal 
 satisfaction, the fault was laid at Chole's door; or 
 even if the crop of roses in Turkey had failed, causing 
 a short supply of rose-water and of ottar of roses, 
 Chole was blamed and held responsible for it. 
 
 But the greatest soreness of all was caused by my 
 father taking her with him into the treasure- chamber, 
 or by sending her there by herself. So spiteful were 
 her enemies that I verily believe they would have 
 liked to have her searched on leaving it, as they do 
 the pearl fishers in the Persian Gulf. Her numerous 
 antagonists were very much startled one day by the 
 news that my father had made her a present of a 
 splendid and very precious crown, which he had ex- 
 pressly ordered from Persia for her. This magnificent 
 diadem was made of golden palm leaves, richly set 
 with diamonds, decreasing in size from the large 
 centre stone. It was of a shape that could not be 
 worn with our head-dress, and it was intended more 
 as a valuable investment in case of need. It may be 
 conceived that the possession of so splendid an orna- 
 ment only increased the number of her adversaries. 
 My father's marked preference was greatly censured 
 and resented; and yet not even his great loving 
 heart could have distributed such love among all his 
 children in equal shares. 
 
 All this bitter feeling it would seem only brought 
 out the goodness and sweetness of Chole's disposition 
 — the most cruel shafts she turned off with a gentle, 
 forgiving hand. As for revenge or retaliation, they 
 never entered her head. She used merely to say: 
 
ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 121 
 
 "Well, I shall be content if only my father approves 
 of my doings." 
 
 Chole took care of me faithfully, as long as I was 
 a child, and afterwards she was my dearest friend. 
 Our friendship became closer still when she removed 
 to Bet il Tani after my father's death. We lived and 
 dined together, talked till late at night, and then 
 retired to rest by each other's side. It will be shown 
 further on how great an influence she had gained over 
 me. After my reconciliation with Madjid our intimacy 
 was troubled for a short time only, but after that she 
 loved me all her life. After my husband's death in 
 1871, she had a letter written to me (she could not 
 write herself), in which she asked me to send her one 
 of my children for adoption, to which I could not 
 accede, as the child would have had to become a 
 Mahometan. 
 
 Her liberality and kindness had grown quite pro- 
 verbial. She treated her servants very well, pardoned 
 all their faults, and always interceded for other 
 people's slaves. I had a Nubian slave from Mesket, 
 who was a splendid cook, and who gave me great 
 satisfaction, in that respect ; but I soon found it 
 impossible to keep her, as every article she could lay 
 hands upon vanished. No admonitions or even con- 
 victions of her guilt could alter her propensities, so 
 that at last I decided to sell the thief. No sooner had 
 Zafrane, as she was called, heard this, than she 
 escaped one night to Chole's estate, to beg and pray 
 her to intercede. Indeed, she managed so well to 
 touch my sister's heart, that I had to keep the dan- 
 gerous person out of regard for Chole. 
 
122 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 Chole, who had not inherited more than any of us, 
 hought with her share one of our finest plantations, 
 which my father had heen in the habit of visiting 
 most. There was a beautiful palace, splendidly 
 furnished, on the estate, which, however, was not a 
 valuable property, though she had to pay a high price 
 for it. But in memory of the great love our father 
 had always shown to her she was willing to make any 
 sacrifice in order to possess herself of his favourite 
 resort. She went every year to her plantation, called 
 Sebe, for the clove harvest. I look back with great 
 delight on those days, when we used to walk about 
 the fragrant gardens hand in hand, talking to the 
 numerous children of the slaves, or looking out from 
 the windows to watch the people at work. 
 
 My father's richly-furnished room was never occu- 
 pied, and w r as only opened and shown to distinguished 
 visitors at their special request. 
 
 Chole was very hospitable to the many people who 
 were attracted by the beautiful situation of Sebe. 
 She had some of the rarest exotic plants in her 
 gardens, which were kept by her faithful overseer in 
 the same state as in my father's time. 
 
 A very pretty stone building had been put up just 
 outside the high garden- wall, overshadowed by a 
 magnificent tree, higher than the tallest oak-trees in 
 Europe. This building contained one saloon only, 
 paved with marble, mirrors covering the walls up to 
 the ceiling ; and it was furnished with bamboo chairs 
 and numerous coloured lamps. When at Sebe, my 
 father used to receive his visitors and take coffee in 
 this place. We could now quietly visit this beautiful 
 
ABOUT SOME OP MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 123 
 
 shady spot, enjoy ourselves like children, and talk of 
 our dear departed parent. 
 
 My dearly beloved Chole, she, the object of such 
 great love and such bitter hate, is of this world no 
 more ; I lost her in the year 1875. It is said that 
 she fell a victim to a dastardly act of poisoning, but 
 that belief is too much shrouded in mystery to give 
 it foundation. She will always be with me in spirit. 
 
 3. Asche. 
 
 It rarely happens that two real sisters are more 
 whimsically endowed by nature, than were Chole and 
 Asche. The latter was small and dark, Chole tall 
 and fair ; Asche was pockmarked, while her sister 
 possessed a countenance of perfect Oriental beauty. 
 Asche was reserved and even cold in manner, Chole 
 a radiant sunbeam, though perhaps she was not so 
 clever as her sister. A greater contrast could not 
 well be conceived, and it was difficult sometimes to 
 convince our Asiatic relations that they were really 
 sisters. 
 
 Poor Asche was very well aware of her plainness, 
 and the marred expression of her features ; and for this 
 reason she never appeared unveiled, even to her 
 relations and servants. For the same reason she did 
 not pay much attention to her outward appearance, 
 and, for her station, she dressed very plainly and 
 even meanly. One Abyssinian female slave, very 
 clever as a hairdresser, attended her in this capacity, 
 also as milliner and lady's-maid all in one. 
 
 She was, however, reputed far and wide as a person 
 of refined culinary taste, and she kept, indeed, the 
 
124 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 best table for miles round. Young people were 
 frequently sent to learn the secrets of cookery from 
 her cooks, and my brother Madjid partly boarded with 
 her, getting five or six dishes daily from her place, 
 for which he paid a fixed sum monthly. 
 
 On account of her good common-sense she was often 
 chosen to settle disputes, and very clear her judgment 
 was, too. She was a capital manager, and kept her 
 financial affairs in exemplary order, for which few of 
 us deserved praise. Her exchequer was never at an 
 ebb, not even before harvest-time, which we always 
 looked forward to as the tide in our purses. It is 
 true that persons of extravagant habits put a very 
 uncharitable construction on her possessions : they 
 said she was miserly and selfish. 
 
 Poor Hilal was her favourite brother. She was 
 devotedly attached to him and took a motherly care 
 of his eldest son, Sund, after his death. 
 
 4. Chadudj. 
 
 Chadudj, Madjid's sister, is already known to the 
 reader. She was much better liked than Asche, but 
 she did not often come to see us, as she lived with her 
 brother, whom she very fondly loved. 
 
 In later years she took the mother's place with our 
 youngest brother Nasor. With him she went to 
 Mecca, weary of life, after Madjid's death, as the last 
 refuge of the Mahometan, and both died there within 
 a short time after their arrival. 
 
 5. Schewdne. 
 
 When I went to Bet il Sahel, Schewane, though 
 
 
ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 125 
 
 older than myself, became my playmate. She was 
 very sensible, and possessed a power of expression in 
 her eyes that might have- subdued a lion; these 
 qualities combined made her play an important part 
 in our house. She installed me at once as her 
 errand-boy, thrashed me every day, and under for- 
 tunate circumstances requited my services with the 
 doubtful compliment : " You white ape ! " For she was 
 the daughter of an Abyssinian, a race well known 
 with us for rudeness and violence as well as for cun- 
 ning. I had a " white " mother, and this fact exposed 
 me to a good many attacks from my dark-complexioned 
 relations. My brother Djemschid had still more to 
 suffer from them, for he had not only his mother's 
 fair hair, but also her blue eyes. 
 
 In early youth she had lost her only brother Ali> 
 who was much more good-natured and more generally 
 liked in consequence ; her father and mother died 
 within a short time of each other ; and thus, still quite 
 young, she found herself alone in a world totally 
 different from what she wished it to be. Madjid was 
 the only one of her numerous brothers whom she cared 
 for a little out of regard for Ali, who had been his 
 intimate friend. 
 
 Her majestic figure and the almost classic beauty 
 of her features made her a very dignified and even 
 imposing personage. She possessed a strong spirit 
 of self-reliance, and would never take advice from 
 any one, or betray by word or look what she intended 
 to do. Thus she fell into the hands of a crafty negro 
 slave, who took advantage of her inability to write, 
 and robbed her right and left. With all her rough 
 
126 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 manners, however, she was very charitable, and a 
 severe but just mistress to her servants. 
 
 She always tried to pick out and to own the 
 handsomest slaves, whom she loaded with the most 
 costly weapons and jewels. Everything about her 
 showed a fairy-like display of riches and splendour. 
 
 I was the only one of all her sisters who managed 
 to get on with her, notwithstanding the bad treat- 
 ment I had suffered at her hands in early years. 
 Once when I seized a favourable moment to represent 
 to her how much she was blamed for her extravagant 
 habits, and especially for keeping such a great num- 
 ber of slaves, she quietly replied, that she was sure 
 she would not live long, and that she intended partly 
 to spend her money on the poor, partly on herself, as 
 fast as she could, so as to leave us nothing. She was 
 very rich, having inherited a considerable fortune from 
 Ali, besides her own share, but she always continued 
 to live in our paternal home, regardless of the general 
 feeling of dislike entertained for her. 
 
 The opinion of her fellow-creatures troubled her 
 very little. Though residing under the same roof with 
 several hundred people, she took no notice whatever 
 of any of them, and only lived for and among her 
 slaves. Thus it came to pass that we were informed 
 too late of her severe illness. Exasperated at what 
 she considered want of sympathy on Chole's part and 
 on mine, she refused to receive our visits, and much 
 as we were grieved we could not force ourselves upon 
 her and violate that firm will of hers. When she 
 felt she was dying from rapid consumption, she made 
 all her servants swear solemnly that no one should 
 
ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 127 
 
 see her in death, except the woman who would per- 
 form the last offices. Her commands were carried 
 out to the letter, for the moment she expired her 
 rooms were locked. We were only admitted after the 
 body had been laid out, covered with camphor and 
 wrapped in a sevenfold winding-sheet, the face in- 
 cluded, as prescribed by our religious rites. Over- 
 whelmed with grief, I knelt down by the body and 
 embraced it, unmindful of the scared bystanders, who 
 wanted to drag me away, and who warned me of the 
 danger of infection. 
 
 In spite of the difference of our characters, I really 
 had liked Schewane ; I always took her part, for she 
 deserved to be loved by all who could overlook her 
 rough manner and her eccentricities. Pride and 
 ambition were her besetting sins — no wonder she 
 made many enemies, especially among her elders. 
 
 Before her death she made ample provision for her 
 town slaves and for the upper slaves on her estates. 
 She not only set them free, but bequeathed all their 
 costly arms and jewels to them, besides one whole 
 estate for their maintenance. She did not wish that 
 those who had worked for her so long should have ta 
 begin life again among strangers, 
 
 6. Mdle. 
 
 Like Schewane, Metle was the daughter of an 
 Abyssinian ; but she had so fair a complexion that 
 nobody could have guessed her descent. She and 
 her brother Ealub were my playmates during my 
 stay at Bet il Mtoni. Her mother was totally para- 
 lyzed, and could not devote herself much to the 
 
128 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 rearing of her children ; nevertheless, they turned 
 out excellent and worthy persons. 
 
 The poor sufferer was obliged to live on the ground- 
 floor, which was intended only for store-rooms, and 
 naturally very damp and unsuitable for an invalid 
 like her. 
 
 A sheltered place had been erected in front of her 
 room, close to the banks of the Mtoni, about a yard 
 in height, to which the sick one was carried in the 
 day, and where she was attended on by her children 
 and her slaves. Her step-children and their mothers 
 frequently came to keep her company ; and my 
 mother in particular used to read to her from the 
 Kuran and other holy books, for, like most of the 
 other women who became members of our family after 
 they w r ere grown up, she could not read herself. 
 
 Metle and Ealub were a dear little couple ; they 
 loved their mother fondly, and only thought of 
 pleasing her. Metle especially, my senior by some 
 years, was very sweet, and a most unselfish play- 
 mate. 
 
 After my father's death she was my nearest neigh- 
 bour on her estate, and during our stay in the 
 country we met daily. Ealub delighted to break in 
 upon us unawares with his friends, and so cause a 
 great deal of confusion, as we were not allowed to 
 show ourselves to strangers ; and I am bound to say 
 he always succeeded ! 
 
 After her mother's death, Metle used to spend the 
 rest of the year at Bet il Mtoni, until she married a 
 distant cousin in the town. She was very happy 
 with her two charming boys, whom she always carried 
 
ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 129 
 
 about or had on her knees when I came to see her. 
 She was the most unassuming and contented person 
 in the whole house, the very opposite to Schewane. 
 But even this did not please everybody — her tastes, 
 they said, were far too simple for a princess ; to 
 which she replied that nothing would change her, 
 nor did she consider it at all derogative to her dignity 
 or to her station, to treat prince and beggar with the 
 same kindness. " What matters it," she said, " if I do 
 not choose to be always dressed in silks and velvets — 
 am I worth less on that account than my brothers or 
 sisters ? Do I not remain my father's daughter at 
 all times ? " I must own to my shame that I had not 
 sufficient good sense then to understand this kind of 
 philosophy, winch I only learned to appreciate pro- 
 perly afterwards. 
 
 7. Zejdne. 
 
 Zejane and Zemzem are sisters by an Abyssinian 
 mother. I have already mentioned, that during our 
 stay at Bet il Mtoni an intimate friendship existed 
 between my mother and Zejane, who had a great 
 weakness for me, and spoiled me more than my 
 mother approved of. Our apartments were far apart, 
 and as it took me a long time to get to their rooms, 
 I often stayed there all day, to my mother's annoy- 
 ance, who vainly sent messenger after messenger to 
 bring me back, until she came herself, and in her turn 
 stayed all the evening with my sisters. 
 
 Zejane was the first to teach me pillow-lace making, 
 at which she was very clever. Alone, or with my 
 mother, she invented the prettiest designs, which no 
 
130 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 one was permitted to see until they had been success- 
 fully completed. She made many friends by her 
 kindness, and was never tired nursing the sick and 
 helpless. 
 
 The days that my father did not spend at Bet il 
 Mtoni, the women had permission to go out ; and on 
 these occasions Zejane could always be seen in com- 
 pany with some slaves, loaded with many presents, 
 which she distributed amongst the families of officials. 
 
 It was a very sad parting when we removed from 
 Bet il Mtoni, for both Zejane and my mother knew 
 well that they would now see but little of each other, 
 for Zejane rarely went into the town, which she dis- 
 liked. Before we left, I was much with her, and she 
 gave me many keepsakes, at the same time exhorting 
 me to be always good to my mother. 
 
 I was the more strongly impressed with our sad 
 leave-taking, as we had to go immediately afterwards 
 to our overbearing stepmother, Azze bint Sef, to bid 
 her a cool good-bye. 
 
 8. Zemzem. 
 
 Much prettier than Zejane, Zemzem possessed all 
 the good and noble qualities of her sister, who was 
 taken away from us much too soon. I only knew her 
 more intimately at a later date, when we had become 
 neighbours on our estates. She was very practical, 
 not given to extravagance, and fond of simplicity and 
 solidity — and things prospered more under her man- 
 agement than in any other Arab household. I may 
 say that, taken on the whole, she came nearest to the 
 ideal of a good European housewife. 
 
ABOUT SOME OP MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 131 
 
 She was very motherly to me, as I had been her 
 dear sister's favourite. When I did wrong, she looked 
 at me with her large, expressive eyes, and said : 
 ''What a pity that your mother had to leave you 
 behind so young in this wretched world ! Zejane 
 would have been a second mother to you, if she were 
 alive, and you would have remained a child much 
 longer. For after all you are a child yet, with very 
 little common sense." And to appease me, she added : 
 "Don't be angry with me for speaking to you thus, 
 if I do it is only for love of Zejane, to whom you 
 were so dear. Others, you see, commit the same 
 follies, but I never take the trouble to reprove them!" 
 
 She was of great assistance to me in my farming — 
 she rode with me over the plantations for hours, 
 and pointed out any improvements she considered 
 necessary. Once she turned to my " Nakora," or 
 overseer, and said : " Your mistress is a mere child 
 still (in Suahely, mhoto) and does not understand 
 these matters ; you must therefore look after her 
 interests, and my Nakora will always be ready to 
 advise you." This was not very nattering to my 
 self-esteem, but as she meant well I could not be 
 angry with her. 
 
 Zemzem married rather late in life our distant 
 cousin Humud. (It is the custom with us to marry 
 as much as possible in the family, so as not to be 
 linked with people of lower rank.) Humud was the 
 same who had once dared to ask Chalid in the mosque 
 for another sister of ours, and had been so harshly 
 repulsed on that occasion. After Chalid's death he 
 made personal advances to the lady, but with no 
 
132 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 better success — and when he had recovered from 
 his great disappointment, he proposed to Zemzem 
 and was accepted. They were married immediately 
 after, but very quietly, for Humud was exceedingly 
 stingy, and not even hospitable, as all Arabs tradi- 
 tionally are, though he was one of the richest men in 
 Zanzibar. He was fanatically orthodox, and made a 
 great display of rigorous devoutness ; but this mantle 
 of hypocrisy was seen through by most people, since 
 he did not hesitate to commit the greatest cruelties 
 on the slightest provocation. For this reason he was 
 almost universally despised — and yet no one ventured 
 to show open hostility to so rich and influential a 
 person. 
 
 After her marriage I saw but little of Zemzem. 
 She seemed to live happily with her unpopular husband 
 — in her practical way I suppose she managed to get 
 on even with him. 
 
 9. Nunu. 
 
 I will say a few words about a sister, treated badly 
 by nature, who deserved to be greatly pitied. Nunu 
 was the daughter of a Circassian, who received the 
 name of Tadj (crown) on account of her marvellous 
 beauty. She had been greatly distinguished by our 
 father, and became the object of much envy and 
 jealousy. When her child, as beautiful as herself, was 
 born blind, many looked upon it as a punishment to 
 the mother, who had been guilty of being my father's 
 favourite. This misfortune bitterly distressed her, 
 and only the firm belief that God had so willed it 
 made her bear it. Nor was she spared long to her 
 
ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 133 
 
 blind child, for soon after she died of a kind of 
 dropsy. 
 
 Poor blind Nunu was now quite alone. But in her 
 case also the old saying proved true, "that God's 
 help is nighest in our extremity." A trustworthy 
 Abyssinian slave had solemnly vowed to the dying 
 Tadj to look after Nunu and never to desert her as 
 long as she lived. She kept her promise in an ex- 
 emplary manner, and shielded her little mistress 
 from all mischances of life, though she had often 
 more than just cause to complain of her. She 
 took orders from no one but my father, who in his 
 love for the poor blind child took more care of her 
 than he had been able to do of his other children, 
 and this again gave rise to much envious talk. 
 
 Nunu was the wildest and most unruly child I have 
 ever seen, and the terror of all mothers with little 
 children. From the age of six until she was ten 
 years old, she waylaid all her younger brothers and 
 sisters, on purpose — incredible as it may appear — to 
 scratch out their eyes ! When told of the birth of 
 one, her first question was whether it could see and 
 had sound eyes. After a time it was deemed advisable 
 not to tell her the truth, and it then pleased her much 
 to know that there were others also who would never 
 be able to see the sun or the moon. Her little soul 
 was filled with the most bitter envy. A very pretty 
 little brother of ours was greatly admired for his 
 beautiful long eyelashes. His mother having gone to 
 dinner one day, and the nurse having turned her 
 back for a moment, the child was heard to scream 
 fearfully; and upon their rushing back, they found 
 
134 MEMOIRS OP AN AKABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 that Nunu had cut off the eyebrows and eyelashes of 
 the child with a pair of scissors ! 
 
 No child in the house was from that time left un- 
 garded for a single moment. Nunu possessed a 
 knowledge of locality hardly credible in a blind 
 person, and she moved about with the greatest ease 
 and quickness. She was to be found everywhere, and 
 as busy as a wicked little fairy. Her greatest pleasure 
 was to smash whatever she could lay hold of, china, 
 glassware, and particularly our pretty Asiatic water- 
 coolers. 
 
 One of her peculiarities was that she insisted on 
 being treated as though she could see. When the 
 guns announced sunset, she ordered her room to be 
 lighted up. She insisted upon selecting her wardrobe 
 herself, and when she was being dressed by her servants 
 she always stood before a looking-glass. When she 
 heard that any one had fine hair, or beautiful eyes 
 and brows, she subjected those parts to a critical 
 examination, only to observe that she was either 
 disappointed or pleased. 
 
 To the great satisfaction of all, Nunu became more 
 reasonable and sedate as she grew up, and in conse- 
 quence she was no longer regarded with such horror ; 
 indeed, she gained on everyone's affection as her 
 good qualities began to shine more prominently. The 
 poor unfortunate girl lost her faithful nurse soon after 
 her parents, and as she could not live by herself without 
 some help and supervision, our sister Asche took 
 charge of her and kept house together with her. 
 
 
ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 135 
 
 10. Schembua and Farschu. 
 
 I must not omit to mention in this place two nieces 
 of mine, Schembua and Farschu, who were at school 
 with me and who afterwards had the same party 
 views as myself. They lived opposite our place, and 
 as the streets in Zanzibar are very narrow, we could 
 easily talk together from our windows without deaf and 
 dumb language — discuss fashions, household matters, 
 and politics. In the last case we observed the pre- 
 caution of stationing such servants at the corner as 
 would not be likely to attract attention, who would 
 warn U3 of the approach of an enemy by dropping a 
 stick, by coughing, or by a low whistle. About these 
 times I shall have to say more further on. 
 
 Schembua and Farschu were my brother Chalid's 
 only children, and from their earliest youth they had 
 been so fond of each other that they were almost 
 inseparable. This brought them frequently into 
 conflict with their mothers, who were exceedingly 
 jealous of each other. Schembua, some years older 
 than her sister, was gentle and modest, just the 
 reverse of Farschu, and so sensible that she took 
 exciting almost a mother's care of her. 
 
 They were both very rich, having inherited the 
 whole of their father's large fortune. In their love 
 for each other they resolved not to divide their 
 property, but to live together and share their pos- 
 sessions. But this arrangement greatly displeased 
 Farschu's mother, an Abyssinian, who wanted 
 her daughter to shake herself free. Farschu, 
 who was very determined, refused to accede to this 
 
136 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 demand, and declared she was firmly resolved not to 
 divide the fortune as long as she and her sister 
 remained unmarried. Her mother, deeply hurt by 
 this refusal, and finding that things in other respects, 
 too, were getting unbearable, left her home and her 
 child secretly one day, taking with her only a small 
 parcel and a very small sum of money. At first no 
 one knew where she had gone, and it was generally 
 believed she would return to her daughter after a 
 while. But it was soon discovered that she neither 
 intended returning to her child nor living by her 
 bounty — and would, therefore, gain her living by her 
 own work. I have previously alluded to the circum- 
 stance that at the death of her husband the widow is 
 made almost entirely dependent on her children, and 
 that in some cases, as for instance in this, the law 
 proves a disaster instead of a protection. 
 
 The place of the unhappy mother's concealment 
 remained perfectly unknown as long as her scanty 
 means lasted ; and she only came to Bet il Mtoni, 
 after having spend her last " Pesa," to see my elder 
 sister Zuene, who had formerly been on very friendly 
 terms with Chalid. With her she continued to live 
 on condition that Zuene would never attempt to bring 
 her and her daughter together, unless the latter came 
 of her own accord to acknowledge her wrong. Farschu, 
 however, remained perfectly indifferent to this state 
 of affairs, nor did she take any steps to be reconciled 
 when her mother began to sicken. Neither entreaties 
 nor even the severest censure took the least effect on 
 her. Repeatedly, but in vain, I tried to remind her of 
 a child's duty — she remained obdurate. It was almost 
 
I 
 
 ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 137 
 
 impossible to believe in so much unrelenting hard- 
 ness in so small and pretty a being ; but from the 
 flash of her dark eyes one might have guessed how 
 inflexible was her resolution. Soon after my depar- 
 ture from Zanzibar, Farschu died of consumption, 
 and I have never been able to learn whether she was 
 ever reconciled to her mother before her death. 
 
 The finest estate that belonged to my neices was 
 the grand and superb plantation " Marseilles ; " 
 Chalid's predilection for France and for everything 
 French had made him select this name. The walls 
 of all the rooms, except those set apart for prayers, 
 were covered with large mirrors, which had a wonder- 
 ful effect when lighted up. The floors were inlaid 
 with black and white marble slabs, producing a 
 pleasant freshness much appreciated in a southern 
 clime. A large collection — such as a clock of very 
 ingenious construction, from which dancing and 
 playing figures stepped out at the striking hours ; 
 glass globes reflecting the most grotesque distortions ; 
 large round quicksilver balls like those put up 
 sometimes in gardens, and a variety of other works 
 of art — gave the palace quite the look of a museum, 
 especially to all simple and uncivilized persons and 
 to our relations from Oman. Frequently I heard 
 expressions of wonder and surprise, such as "Truly, 
 the Christians are real devils!" At "Marseilles," 
 perhaps the best insight into the real ways of Eastern 
 life was to be gained. 
 
 I have spent many a happy day on this estate. 
 
 The house was always full of guests, and as my nieces 
 
 were rather emancipated and very tolerant in religious 
 10 
 
138 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 matters there was no constraint put upon intercourse. 
 The cries of the runners and outriders : " Sumila ! 
 sumila! " (make room), and the announcing of visitors 
 by slaves never ceased. All people here were gay and 
 merry, and seemed to know of no care. The amiable 
 hostesses often induced ladies to stay for more than a 
 fortnight who had only come for three days, much 
 to the displeasure of their respective fathers and 
 husbands. 
 
 Everybody could spend the day as he or she pleased 
 best, without being considered impolite, for it is only 
 true hospitality that grants full liberty to guests. In 
 the evening about sunset the whole company met to 
 stay till one or two o'clock in the splendidly lighted 
 saloons, or, on moonlight nights, in the park. When 
 there was no moon, piled up stacks of wood saturated 
 with palm oil were kept burning in various spots all 
 the time. 
 
 Unfortunately, this splendid and pleasant place 
 was soon after destroyed. My brothers Bargasch 
 and Abd il Aziz fortified themselves in the castle 
 during our rebellion against Madjid, and the closing 
 and decisive battle was fought here. The estate was 
 totally ruined in consequence, and my neices were 
 great losers thereby. But their great wealth made 
 them soon get over this loss, nor did they like to have 
 it much talked about, "as it was not worth while 
 losing a word about the matter ! " 
 
 11. Hildl. 
 
 I will speak of two of my brothers only in this 
 place, of Hilal and of Tueni, both of them unhappy 
 
ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 139 
 
 men ; the one by his own faults, the other a victim 
 to his own son. 
 
 It is well that the Mahometan religion forbids the 
 use of all spirituous liquors, and our sect, which does 
 not even sanction smoking, is in this respect much 
 more rigorous than the Turks or Persians. By degrees 
 a sad report began to gain credence that our brother 
 Hilal, (Newmoon), seduced by Christians and in par- 
 ticular by the then French consul, had taken to 
 drinking. He then had frequent attacks of giddiness? 
 the smell of wine was noticeable about him, and the un- 
 fortunate man had not the strength of mind to conquer 
 the evil spirit that possessed him. Hilal was the 
 favourite son of our father, to whom this caused a 
 bitter anguish. He tried to reform the seduced son 
 by having him at first confined to the house, but soon 
 found himself compelled to banish him altogether 
 from our family circle. 
 
 Oar sister Chadudj suffered most of all, as she was 
 very fond of Hilal. He still visited her at our paternal 
 home after his banishment, but could only gain 
 admitance under the greatest difficulties and dangers, 
 and when he stayed over-night with her and some 
 others, who had remained faithful to him, the room 
 was kept dark so that his lights might not betray him. 
 No one ever found the heart to apprise our father of 
 these visits. He kept him very short to prevent him 
 from indulging his vice, but Chadudj assisted him 
 largely, though greatly to his own ruin. 
 
 Hilal sank deeper and deeper under his evil passion, 
 until he was scarcely ever sober, and he was soon 
 released from this misery by death. In spite of all 
 
140 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 that had occurred, our father's grief for his favourite 
 son was unspeakable. He often locked himself up in 
 his chamber, and the traces of tears could be seen 
 afterwards in the place where he had knelt down to 
 pray. Something which had never happened before : 
 he gave vent to his grief even in words like these : 
 " How great is my despair and my grief for thee, oh, 
 Hilal ! " 
 
 Hilal left three sons, Suud, Fesal, and Mhammed. 
 The last and youngest was adopted by my stepmother 
 Azze bint Sef, who was childless. The boy completely 
 won her over, an attempt in which none of us had 
 ever succeeded. She had always been reported to be 
 mean and ungenerous, and nobody could believe their 
 eyes when Mhammed commenced living very extrava- 
 gantly, with her money of course. No one had ever 
 before dreamt of keeping dogs — he ordered a whole 
 pack of hounds from Europe, amongst them such 
 splendid beasts as had never been seen in our country. 
 His whole time was taken up with these dogs and 
 some really beautiful horses. He would not allow 
 his favourites to be fed on garbage, but had a separate 
 kitchen put up for them, where a variety of food was 
 prepared. The fattest fowls, the best joints of meat, 
 and the largest fish, were picked out for them. Eeport 
 even had it, that his dogs and horses got no water to 
 drink, but only champagne. I cannot say whether 
 this was true ; at all events people said a great many 
 bad things of Mhammed, that were probably not 
 entirely without foundation, for his was the refine- 
 ment of extravagance. 
 
 Suud had a great weakness for European habits and 
 
ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 141 
 
 style of life ; in bis manners be resembled his father 
 most. 
 
 The third of Hilars sons wa3 very different from his 
 brothers. Gentle Fesal, who had not the luxurious 
 habits of Mhammed and Suud, was always so modestly 
 dressed that be might sooner have been taken for a 
 plain citizen than for a prince. He was of a philo- 
 sophical turn of mind, very averse to all material 
 pleasures, and always remained a puzzle to bis 
 brothers. In after years he bought a small estate 
 near my own and often came to see me. He went 
 hardly ever to the town without bringing me back 
 some small present, if it was only a bundle of fire- 
 works, which I liked very much. 
 
 Misunderstood by his brothers, the poor fellow was 
 very unhappy ; he had a gentle and noble disposition, 
 which is thought much too lightly of in this world. 
 But by his gentle and amiable manners he won the 
 friendship of all who saw more of him. He had lost 
 his mother when very young and had hardly ever 
 known true love. " It pains me the more," he used 
 to say to me, who, though I was his aunt, was much 
 his junior, " that my brothers look on me as quite 
 superfluous, and care not one jot for me. I care not 
 whether I live or die, for no one will ever miss me." 
 My heart ached when I heard him talk so, for he 
 really deserved to be loved. How truly happy a 
 monastic life would have made this man, who felt a 
 stranger in his own land and an alien in the world ! 
 
 No one regretted more than poor Fesal, when I 
 yielded to my brother Madjid's request to return to 
 the town. In the course of time he had become quite 
 
142 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 accustomed to telling me of all his thoughts and 
 sorrows, as if I had really been a sensible aunt, and 
 not what I was, a wild and inexperienced girl. 
 
 12. Tueni. 
 
 Our eldest brother Tueni was born at Mesket, and 
 spent all his life in Oman. He never came to Zan- 
 zibar, and could not be shaken in his prejudice against 
 that birthplace of most of his brothers and sisters. 
 Since a Mahometan is not allowed to have his portrait 
 painted, a commandment which is strengthened, if 
 possible, by superstition, and as photographs were not 
 yet known with us at that time, Tueni always remained 
 a perfect stranger to those of us who had not been to 
 Mesket. We had only heard a good deal of his gentle 
 manners, of his courage, and his bravery in war. His 
 soldiers idolized him, and his presence alone inspired 
 them with confidence. Like our father, he was very 
 fond of warfare, and a more accomplished soldier than 
 any of my brothers. He had spent the best part of his 
 life in the camp, to the great sorrow of his legitimate 
 wife Ealie, our cousin, by whom he had several 
 children. During my father's residence in Zanzibar, 
 Tueni acted as his representative in Oman, but having 
 enough to do to look after the defence of the frontiers of 
 the empire, he left the real government in the hands of 
 our pious second brother Mhammed, who was possessed 
 of the same prejudice against Zanzibar. Tueni would 
 either fight about Bender Abbas with the Persians, or 
 resist the invasions of the wandering tribes of central 
 Arabia. These numerous tribes are very poor, and 
 most of them live only by pillage. An Arab of the 
 
ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 143 
 
 desert seldom possesses more than a camel, some in- 
 dispensable arms (such as musket, sword, dagger, 
 lance, and shield), one or two iron cooking pots, a bag 
 of dates, and at best a milk-goat. The men, young 
 and old, carry their arms into battle, followed at some 
 distance by their wives and daughters on foot, and 
 met after the fight with cool water, milk, and viands. 
 Oman was invaded every year by larger or smaller 
 hordes, and the country was kept in a continual state 
 of activity by them. None but the most resolute and 
 energetic ruler could hold his own against their in- 
 cursions. 
 
 Such was the state of affairs at the time my father 
 died on his return to Zanzibar. Had his death taken 
 place at Mesket, Tueni might have been in a position 
 to possess himself of the government of Zanzibar, 
 instead of Madjid, our fourth brother, who, taking 
 advantage of favourable circumstances, caused him- 
 self to be proclaimed Sultan of Zanzibar. I have 
 already stated that Madjid agreed to pay an annual 
 sum to Tueni, but that he soon afterwards withdrew 
 from this engagement. His conduct was universally 
 condemned, the more so as Tueni's position became 
 daily more difficult. The continued campaigns were 
 a heavy drain on the country's resources, and just at 
 the worst time the supplies from Zanzibar began to 
 fail. Money at last became so scarce that he saw 
 himself compelled to levy duties on various articles of 
 merchandize. Luckily for Oman, public loans, which 
 have been the ruin of more than one Eastern State, 
 were then unthought of. But even these light taxes 
 raised a spirit of discontent, and the malcontents 
 
144 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 unfortunately succeeded in gaining great influence 
 over Tueni's eldest son, Salum, who at last became 
 guilty of the heaviest crime man can commit. 
 
 One day when Tueni, after having been to an assem- 
 bly, had thrown himself, greatly fatigued, upon a couch, 
 to take a little rest, his son stepped up, and peremp- 
 torily demanded the suspension of all taxes and 
 duties, for which unjustifiable proceedings he was 
 naturally called to order. Whereupon this unnatural, 
 cowardly son drew a revolver, which he had kept 
 hidden until then, and shot down his father where he 
 lay! 
 
 But the misguided 3 r outh did not long enjoy the 
 fruits of his evil deed— a speedy retribution was in 
 store for him. He had hardly installed himself as 
 ruler of Oman, when his brother-in-law Azzan deter- 
 mined to depose him. He surprised Mesket one 
 night, and put the capital to massacre and pillage. 
 His action was much facilitated by the great exaspera- 
 tion of the people against Salum, as no righteous 
 man would take up arms on behalf of a parricide. 
 The wild invaders met with little resistance — they 
 carried off all they could, and destroyed the rest. 
 Salum's palace in particular was sadly wrecked, and 
 he succeeded under great peril in escaping on board 
 one of his men-of-war, saving nothing but bare life. 
 
 His unfortunate mother and her other children just 
 managed to save themselves on board a ship, and she, 
 too, lost her all. A young Indian merchant, called 
 Abd il Had (servant of the Lord), had the good fortune 
 to buy the greater part of her precious jewels for a 
 mere trifle from a Bedouin (it was said for about three 
 
ABOUT SOME OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS. 145 
 
 hundred dollars), and the honest fellow restored the 
 lost property to the unfortunate princess as a gift ! 
 
 Azzan, the invader, was himself soon after turned 
 out by my third brother Turki, and he again suffered 
 the same fate at the hands of my younger brother, Abd 
 il Aziz (also servant of the Lord). The latter, Chole's 
 ward, was much distinguished by intelligence, courage, 
 and energy. At the age of twelve he had already 
 taken our side in the conspiracy and conflict with 
 Madjid, and he lived afterwards for a time in Beloo- 
 chistan, whence most of our soldiers used to be 
 drafted. He succeeded in the end to restore peace in 
 Oman for a short period, but was not able to maintain 
 himself in power for long. Turki returned, and 
 possessed himself anew of the government, where- 
 upon Abd il Aziz sought a refuge again in Beloochis- 
 tan, where he still lives. 
 
 Surely a sad page, these family feuds ! They can 
 only be understood by those who are personally ac- 
 quainted with the ambition of Eastern princes and 
 with the passionate dealings of Eastern people in 
 general. I, myself, was not to remain a stranger to 
 these, indeed among the first I was to be a sufferer 
 by them ! 
 
CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 woman's position in the east. 
 
 Before proceeding with the account of my personal 
 adventures, I desire in this p]ace to include some chap- 
 ters describing various phases of Eastern life. I do 
 not intend enumerating all our customs and habits, 
 as I am not writing strictly for instruction ; I only 
 wish to enable the European reader to form a more 
 correct idea of the prominent features on the general 
 aspect of Eastern life. I hope I may not be led away 
 to speak of matters wholly uninteresting— though I 
 would like to come as near as possible to completing 
 a picture that will impress itself on the mind. 
 
 I will turn at once to the most momentous of all 
 these questions, to the description of woman's posi- 
 tion in the East. I find it rather difficult to speak 
 of this matter. I am convinced that, as a woman 
 born in the East, people will be apt to think me 
 partial, and I fear I shall not succeed in eradicating 
 altogether the false and preposterous views existing 
 in Europe, and especially in Germany, on the position 
 of the Arab wife to her husband. In spite of the 
 easier ways of communication in these days, the East 
 is still too much considered the land of fairy-tales, 
 
woman's position in the east. 147 
 
 about which all sorts of stories may be told with im- 
 punity. A traveller making a few weeks' tour to 
 Constantinople, to Syria, Egypt, Tunis, or Morocco, 
 sets about at once to write a big book on the life and 
 the customs of the East. He has been able to judge 
 only quite superficially of these, and has seen ab- 
 solutely nothing of domestic life. He contents 
 himself with setting down the distorted stories and 
 second-hand accounts of the French or German 
 waiters at his hotel, or from sailors and donkey boys, 
 and considers these sources of information perfectly 
 reliable and trustworthy. But even from these there 
 is not much to learn, and accordingly he throws the 
 reins over the neck of his imagination, and gallops 
 away into fable-land. The only necessary merit of 
 his book, he thinks, is amusement aud entertainment, 
 which are the sugar-plums between the pages, and 
 lure the reader on, and his production is pronounced 
 " such a success ! " 
 
 My own experience, I admit, was somewhat similar 
 — for I myself judged things in Europe at first by 
 their outward appearance only. When I first met in 
 European society faces beaming all over with smiles, 
 I was, of course, led to believe that the condition of 
 husband and wife must be much better regulated, and 
 that connubial happiness was a thing much more fre- 
 quently met here than in the Mahometan East, 
 When, however, my children had outgrown the age 
 when a mother's continual presence is more desirable 
 than her absence, and I was able to go more into 
 society, I soon perceived that I had completely mis- 
 judged men as well as the general state of affairs. I 
 
148 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 have watched many cases of what is called " wedded 
 life," in which the parties seemed to be chained 
 together expressly to make each other suffer ex- 
 cruciating torments. I have seen too many of such 
 unhappy cases to make me believe that Christian 
 wedlock stands on a higher level or renders people 
 much happier than the Mahometan. To my mind 
 married life, in the first instance, cannot be made more 
 or less happy by any particular religion, or by existing 
 views or habits alone ; matrimonial happiness can 
 alone depend upon real congeniality and harmony 
 between husband and wife. Where these exist, happi- 
 ness and peace will always predominate, and from 
 them will spring in time that harmonious sympathy 
 which wedlock truly ought, and is intended to be. 
 
 Taught by this experience I will try not so much 
 to give my own opinion, but to define simply the 
 position of women — and of married women in par- 
 ticular — in the East. I admit that I know in- 
 timately only the state of affairs in Zanzibar, 
 and tolerably well that existing in Oman. But 
 it is just in Arabia, and with the Arab people, 
 that the true Mahometan spirit, upon which the 
 views of other Eastern nations are founded, has 
 maintained itself most pure, and for this reason my 
 description may claim to be applicable to the entire 
 Mahometan East, with the exception, of course, of 
 such cases of degeneracy which have arisen from, and 
 grown out of, a closer connection with the Christian 
 Occident. 
 
 In the first instance, it is quite a fallacy to think 
 that woman in the East is placed socially on a lower 
 
woman's position in the east. 149 
 
 level than man. The legitimate wife — the purchased 
 Sarari are of course to be excepted — stands in all 
 respects on a par with her husband, and she always 
 retains her rank, and all rights and titles emanating 
 from it, to their full extent. 
 
 The mere circumstance of her retired way of life 
 makes the Arab woman appear more helpless and 
 possessing fewer rights. But this is a custom exist- 
 ing with all Mahometan (and also with many non- 
 Mahometan) nations in the East, and the higher the 
 rank the more rigorously it is observed. Only her 
 father, her sons, brothers, uncles and nephews, and 
 her slaves are allowed to see her. When she appears 
 before a stranger, or has to speak to him, the law 
 requires her to b^ shrouded and veiled ; part of the 
 face, the neck and chin, and, above all, the ankles, 
 must be completely covered. As long as she keeps to 
 this rule she may move about freely, and walk 
 abroad in open day. Poor people, who have but 
 few or no slaves at all, are obliged, on this account 
 alone, to go abroad more in the daylight, and con- 
 sequently enjoy more liberty. Ask a woman of this 
 class whether she does not mind exposing herself so 
 freely, and she will reply : " Such laws are only 
 made for the rich, and not for poor women ! " I must 
 say that ladies of higher rank often envy their poorer 
 sisters on account of their advantages, of which 
 especially the women in Oman avail themselves, 
 who, owing to the poverty of their country, are pre- 
 vented from keeping many slaves. 
 
 I have already stated that the lady of rank too 
 may walk abroad in the daytime. For instance, if 
 
 i 
 
150 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCES3. 
 
 one of her near relations falls sick she may visit 
 the invalid veiled ; in the same way she may appear 
 before a judge to plead her cause in person, for 
 luckily we know nothing of lawyers. But custom 
 requires that this right be only put into force in most 
 urgent cases, and vanity has a good share in uphold- 
 ing it, as the veil disfigures women to a degree, and 
 makes them look like walking mummies. 
 
 I fully admit now that this swaddling in the East 
 is carried too far, though I cannot say that I find the 
 European customs any better. In my opinion the 
 want of dress in the ball costume of a fashionable 
 lady is carried much farther still. 
 
 It is true that a single woman is an object deserving 
 pity. Shut out completely by precept and custom 
 from any intercourse with men, and without any pro- 
 tection, her position frequently becomes a painful 
 one. As she is not allowed to see or speak to her 
 own officials and managers, if these be Arabs, she is 
 often robbed by them ; and I am myself acquainted 
 with several ladies who only married to save them- 
 selves from being at the mercy of these frauds and 
 impostures. This proves that the seclusion of women 
 has its unmistakable drawbacks, and that this also is 
 carried too far. There is, on the other hand, a great 
 deal of sentimental pity wasted on the Eastern woman. 
 She is perfectly unaware that any constraint is put 
 upon her, and habit makes the greatest inconveniences 
 bearable after a time. 
 
 Pity is also lavished upon her because she has to 
 share her husband's love with one or many others. 
 By law the Moslem is permitted to have four legiti- 
 
woman's position in the east. 151 
 
 mate wives at one time, and to marry a fifth if one of 
 the former dies or gets divorced from him. Sarari, 
 or concubines, he may buy as many as he pleases, 
 and can pay for. But I have never met with any 
 man who really had four wives at once. Of course a 
 poor man can only afford to have one ; the rich man 
 restricts himself to two at most, who live apart and 
 keep house separately. 
 
 In the East there are, of course, women too who 
 know how to take care of themselves ; who first take 
 the precaution to inquire whether the suitor to their 
 hand has a wife already, and who stipulate the clause 
 of a formal promise in the marriage-contract that he 
 will wed no other wife or purchase a Surie. 
 
 Practically, and in most cases, monogamy pre- 
 dominates. Whenever a man avails himself of the 
 full liberty granted to him by law, the relations be- 
 tween the different wives become rather uncomfort- 
 able. Eufned tempers and envy soon turn into 
 raging jealousy with the hot-tempered southern 
 women. Apathy and indifference do not create 
 jealousy; this comes only when we have reason to 
 doubt our power over the object we love and want to 
 keep to ourselves alone. Do not these frequent out- 
 bursts of passion sufficiently prove the fact that 
 women in the East can love more deeply than her 
 cooler northern sister ? 
 
 By jealousy polygamy is turned into a source of great 
 vexation and torment — and that is well. Many a man 
 of sufficient wealth to facilitate this has a horror of 
 daily scenes, and therefore he prefers monogamy, 
 which acts as a further check to this bad custom. No 
 
152 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 sensible man, and surely no woman, can excuse or 
 defend polygamy. But now comes another question. 
 How is it with Christians ? how about wedded life in 
 civilized Europe ? I will say nothing of the fact that 
 in a Christian state the Mormons, a sect who call 
 themselves Christians, are publicly and openly avowed 
 polygamists. Is wedlock always considered a sacred 
 nstitution in moral Europe ? Is it not bitter irony 
 and delusion to talk of only " one " wife ? The Chris- 
 tian may, of course, marry one woman only, and that 
 is the great superiority of Christianity ; the Christian 
 law requires the just and the good, the Mahometan 
 allows the evil ; but custom and practice mitigate to 
 a great extent in the East the evil consequences of the 
 law, while sin is rampant here in spite of it. I should 
 say the only difference in the position of a married 
 woman in the East and in Europe to be, that the 
 former knows the number as well as the characters of 
 her rivals, while the latter is kept in a state of con- 
 siderate ignorance about them. 
 
 Of course only a wealthy man can purchase Sarari. 
 Slaves by birth, they become free as soon as they 
 have children. It happens very rarely, and then 
 only in the case of very hard-hearted men, that 
 the Suiie is resold by her master after the death of 
 her child, from necessity or because he is weary of 
 her. In case of the husband's death, his Sarari are 
 absolutely free and have no other master. And if 
 they are married again to a brother or to any relation 
 of the deceased, they become, as free women, the legi- 
 timate wives of such. 
 
 It is an absolute myth that the Arab husband treats 
 
woman's position in the east. 153 
 
 his.wife with less regard than is the case here. This 
 is already provided for by religion, which, though 
 neglecting the wife in some points, recommends her, 
 like a helpless child, to the protection of the husband. 
 The believing and pious Mahometan has as much 
 humane feeling as any highly-civilized and moral 
 European ; he is perhaps even more strict and rigor- 
 ous to himself, believing in the ubiquity of the Lord, 
 who made the laws, and carrying the firm conviction 
 to the grave that his good acts and his bad will by 
 and by meet with just retribution: 
 
 Certainly there exists in Zanzibar as well as in this 
 country the uncomfortable character known as the 
 domestic tyrant. But I may state upon my conscience 
 that I have heard here a good deal more of loving 
 husbands who sometimes think fit to establish their 
 argument by physical manipulation. Any decent Arab 
 would feel ashamed and dishonoured by such an action. 
 It is different with negroes, for I have frequently had 
 to separate couples fighting on my plantations and 
 make peace between them. 
 
 Neither is the wife obliged to submit unconditionally 
 and for ever to all the whims and humours of her 
 husband ; in such cases she always finds shelter with 
 her relations, or, if she stands alone, she has the right 
 to make a complaint to the Kadi in person. Frequently, 
 too, she has recourse to the law. 
 
 A lady, with whom I was very intimate, married at 
 
 the age of sixteen a cousin of hers, who was many 
 
 years her senior, but by no means worthy of her. 
 
 Continuing to lead his former gay life, he thought he 
 
 could treat her as he pleased ; but he was not a little 
 11 
 
154 MEMOIRS OP AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 surprised when he found one evening on his return 
 home a very strongly-termed letter instead of his wife. 
 I had always been accustomed to go to my friend's 
 estate without being first announced, as I knew that 
 her amiable husband was never at home, and preferred 
 the pleasures of the town to his wife's company. After 
 the above-mentioned occurrence, however, my friend 
 called upon me one day to tell me that I could no 
 longer visit her without being announced, as her 
 husband was again living with her on the estate. 
 Eemorseful and repenting, he had followed and im- 
 plored her pardon ; and having once learned what a 
 determined little wife he possessed, he took good care 
 to mend his ways. I could speak of many instances 
 of this kind. 
 
 When married people meet they kiss each other's 
 hands, and they take their meals in company with 
 their children. The wife performs all kinds of friendly 
 services for her husband. She fastens on his weapons 
 when he goes out, and takes them off again on his 
 return ; she refreshes him with cool drinks ; in fact, 
 shows him all those trifling acts of attention which 
 make life more pleasant and affectionate. But all 
 these services are voluntary, and by no means the 
 duties of bondage. 
 
 The household stands entirely under the control of 
 the wife, and there she is absolute mistress. She does 
 not receive a certain sum for house-keeping, as is 
 customary in Europe — she has full liberty to dispose 
 of her husband's funds. When the latter has two 
 wives living apart, his income is equally divided be- 
 tween them. 
 
woman's position in the east. 155 
 
 Of course much depends upon the individual dis- 
 position of husband and wife, how far the latter may 
 venture in using her authority. I had once invited a 
 large party to one of my plantations, but the 
 invitations had been issued too late to allow all the 
 ladies to order their riding donkeys in time, and I was 
 afraid, therefore, many of them would have to decline. 
 In this plight a young married lady, a friend of mine, 
 at once placed a large number of fine donkeys, fully 
 harnessed, at my disposal. Before accepting her 
 generous offer I wanted her to ask her husband's per- 
 mission first — upon which she very quietly replied 
 that she was not accustomed to let her husband 
 interfere in such trifles as these. 
 
 Another lady of my acquaintance in Zanzibar had 
 still greater control over the household and all the 
 property. She managed quite by herself all her 
 husband's large estates and his town-houses. The 
 latter was not even aware of the extent of his income, 
 nor did he consider it derogatory to his dignity to ask 
 her for money whenever he wanted any ; he knew 
 well enough that he could not do better than leave the 
 entire management of his affairs to his prudent and 
 sensible wife. 
 
 The education of the children is left entirely to the 
 mother, whether she be legitimate wife or purchased 
 slave, and it constitutes her chief happiness. Some 
 fashionable mothers in Europe shift this duty on to 
 the nurse, and by and by on the governess, and 
 are quite satisfied with looking up their children 
 or receiving their visits, once a day. In France the 
 child is sent to be nursed in the country, and left to 
 
156 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 the care of strangers. An Arab mother, on the other 
 hand, looks continually after her children. She watches 
 and nurses them with the greatest affection, and 
 never leaves them as long as they may stand in need 
 of her motherly care ; for which she is rewarded by 
 the fondest filial love. Her children repay her in a 
 great measure for all the disadvantages of polygamy, 
 and their affection renders her life more happy and 
 contented. 
 
 If foreigners had more frequent opportunities to 
 observe the cheerfulness, the exuberance of spirits, 
 even, of Eastern women, they would soon and more 
 easily be convinced of the untruth of all those 
 stories afloat about the degraded, oppressed, and 
 listless state of their life. It is impossible to gain a 
 true insight into the actual domesticity in a few mo- 
 ments' visit. And the conversation carried on on those 
 formal occasions hardly deserves that name ; there is 
 barely more than the exchange of a few commonplace 
 remarks — and it is questionable if even these have 
 been correctly interpreted. 
 
 Notwithstanding his innate hospitality, the Arab has 
 the greatest possible objection to having his home 
 pried into by those of another land and creed. When- 
 ever, therefore, a European lady called upon us, the 
 enormous circumference of her hoops (which were the 
 fashion then, and took up the entire width of the stairs) 
 was the first thing to strike us dumb with wonder ; 
 after which the very meagre conversation generally 
 confined itself on both sides to the mysteries of the 
 different costumes ; and the lady retired as wise as 
 she was when she came, after having been sprinkled 
 
woman's position in the east. 157 
 
 over by the Eunuchs with ottar of roses, and being 
 the richer for some parting presents./ It is true, she 
 had been to and entered a Harem, she had seen the 
 much-pitied oriental ladies (though only through their 
 veils), she had with her own eyes seen our dresses, 
 our jewellery, the nimbleness with which we sat down 
 ^on the floor — and that was all. She could not boast 
 of having seen more than any other foreign lady who 
 had called before her. She is conducted upstairs and 
 downstairs again by the Eunuchs, and is watched all 
 the time. Barely she sees more than the reception 
 room, and more rarely still can she guess or find out who 
 the veiled lady is with whom she conversed. In short, 
 she has had no opportunity whatsoever of learning 
 anything of domestic life or the position of Eastern 
 women. 
 
 It is essential to know another fact in order to 
 understand oriental wedded life properly. The mar- 
 riage of a girl neither changes her name nor the rank 
 she has held previously. The wife of a prince, de- 
 scended from the family of a simple citizen, will never 
 think of demanding equality of rank with her husband 
 — she remains always the daughter (bint) of N. or M. 
 On the other hand, an Arab prince or chief often allows 
 his daughter or sister to marry one of his slaves. He 
 reasons thus : " My servant will remain her servant, 
 and she will always be his mistress." Only he ceases 
 to be a slave after marriage, but he, of course, ad- 
 dresses his wife as " Highness" or "mistress." 
 
 If a man has occasion to mention his wife in the 
 course of conversation, which he avoids doing if he 
 can, he never calls her, "my wife," but always "the 
 
158 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 daughter of N. N." At best he uses the expression, 
 " Um Ijali," i.e., " mother of my family/' whether she 
 has children or none. 
 
 It stands to reason that people who marry, being 
 previously unacquainted with each other, do not 
 always agree ; or there may arise difficult and pain- 
 ful circumstances from other causes, such as I men- 
 tioned in the cases of my father and Sehesade and of 
 Madjid and Asche. In cases like these the Mahome- 
 tan law has the great advantage of facilitating a 
 divorce. It is decidedly preferable that two people 
 completely at variance in their views and disposition 
 should be able to separate in peace, to being com- 
 pelled to remain chained together — often a cause for 
 crime. In such a case the wife has her whole dowry 
 returned, the disposal of which also rests with her 
 during her wedded state. If the divorce has been 
 moved by the husband, she also retains the marriage 
 settlement made by him, which, however, she cancels 
 on sueing herself for the divorce. 
 
 I trust the above will suffice to demonstrate that 
 woman in the East is not at all the degraded or 
 oppressed and outlawed being she is generally be- 
 lieved ; she is by no means a cypher. What power 
 and how great an influence some women may gain I 
 have already pointed out in speaking of my step- 
 mother, Azze bint Sef. She ruled our father com- 
 pletely, and court and public affairs depended in most 
 cases on her verdict. All attempts on the part of her 
 step-children to weaken her influence completely failed, 
 although their efforts were, if at no other time, per- 
 fectly united in this aim. Any request of ours, made 
 
woman's position in the east. 159 
 
 to our father in person, was invariably referred to her 
 final decision, even in matters that might be thought 
 to have been beneath her consideration. While my 
 father lived she ruled with a rod of iron.. 
 
 Here is a case in point : The daughter of the com- 
 manding officer of one of our fortresses in Oman came 
 over to Zanzibar with her husband. They were pretty 
 well off, and had no children — " fortunately," as the 
 lady told me herself. She was very clever and witty 
 (wit is nowhere more valued than with us) but fright- 
 fully ugly. Her husband, nevertheless, adored 'her, 
 and bore all her whims and humours with an angelic 
 patience. When she walked out he had to accom- 
 pany her, whether he liked it or not. He could never 
 dispose of his time himself, and in the morning after 
 prayers he had to wait for orders from mistress Asche, 
 to know if she deigned to remain at home with him 
 or intended to go out for the day. He was altogether 
 her slave. ~- 
 
 I will only speak of one more member of our family, 
 whose history contradicts better than anything else 
 all the fabrications about the inferiority of Eastern 
 women. My great-aunt, my grandfather's sister, is 
 to this day held up as the model of a clever, coura- 
 geous, and energetic woman. The history of her life 
 and of her deeds is told over and over again to old 
 and young, and listened to with awe. 
 
 My grandfather, the Sultan Imam, of Mesket, in 
 Oman, left at his death three children : my father 
 Said, my uncle Salum, and my aunt Asche. My 
 father was only nine years old at the time, and a 
 regency had to be established. Contrary to all 
 
160 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 custom, my great-aunt at once declared in the most 
 decided manner that she would carry on the govern- 
 ment herself until her nephew was of age, and she 
 suffered no opposition. The ministers, who had never 
 anticipated such a thing, and who had already in 
 secret congratulated themselves on the prospect of 
 ruling the country for some years, could do nothing 
 but submit. They had to make their reports to her, 
 and to receive her instructions and commands every 
 day. She closely watched. and knew everything, and 
 nothing could remain concealed from her, to the great 
 vexation and annoyance of all the disloyal and idle 
 officials. 
 
 Personally, she put aside all rules of etiquette ; re- 
 gardless of what people might say, she merely wore 
 her schele in the presence of the ministers, and went 
 her own way with energy and firmness. 
 
 Her courage was soon put to a very severe test. 
 Not long after she had taken up the reins of govern- 
 ment a very serious war broke out — unfortunately, a 
 frequent occurrence in Oman. Some of our next of 
 kin had thought it an easy affair to overthrow the 
 government of a woman, to extinguish our house, and 
 possess themselves of power. Their hordes ravaged 
 the country with fire and sword, and advanced close 
 to the gates of Mesket. Thousands of country people 
 from the sacked provinces had already fled for shelter 
 and protection into the city, leaving all their goods 
 and chattels behind. Mesket is strongly fortified, and 
 well able to stand a siege, but of what use are the 
 strongest walls when provisions and ammunition are 
 exhausted ? 
 
WOMAN'S POSITION IN THE EAST. 161 
 
 But in this terrible distress my great- aunt proved 
 herself equal to the occasion, and she even gained the 
 admiration of the enemv. Dressed in man's clothes, 
 she inspected the outposts herself at night, she watched 
 and encouraged the soldiers in all exposed places, and 
 was saved several times only by the speeed of her 
 horse in unforeseen attacks. One night she rode out, 
 oppressed with care, having just received information 
 that the enemy was about to attempt an entrance into 
 the city by means of bribery that night, and with 
 intent to massacre all, and now she went to convince 
 herself of the loyalty of her troops. Very cautiously 
 she rode up to a guard, requesting to speak to the 
 " Akid " (the officer in charge), and did all in her 
 power to seduce him from his duty by great offers of 
 reward on the part of the besiegers. The indignation 
 of the brave man, however, completely allayed her 
 fears as to the fidelity of the troops, but the experi- 
 ment nearly cost her her own life. The soldiers were 
 about to massacre the supposed spy on the spot, and 
 it required all her presence of mind to make good her 
 escape. 
 
 The situation, grew, however, to be very critical at 
 Mesket. Famine at last broke out, and the people 
 were well-nigh distracted, as no assistance or relief 
 could be expected from without. It was, therefore, 
 decided to attempt a last sortie in order to die at least 
 with glory. There was just sufficient powder left for 
 one more attack, but there was no more lead for either 
 guns or muskets. In this emergency the regent ordered 
 iron nails and pebbles to be used in place of balls, the 
 guns were loaded with all the old iron and brass that 
 
162 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 could be collected, and she opened her treasury to 
 have bullets made out of her own silver dollars. Every 
 nerve was strained, and the sally succeeded beyond all 
 hope. The enemy was completely taken by surprise, 
 and fled in all directions, leaving more than half their 
 men dead and wounded on the field. Mesket was 
 saved, and, delivered out of her deep distress, the 
 brave woman knelt down on the battle field and 
 thanked God in fervent prayer. 
 
 From that time her government was a peaceful one, 
 and she ruled so wisely that she was able to transfer 
 to her nephew, my father, an empire so unimpaired 
 as to place him in a position to extend the empire by 
 the conquest of Zanzibar. It is to my great-aunt, 
 therefore, that we owe, and not to an inconsiderable 
 degree, the acquisition of this second empire. 
 
 She, too, was an Eastern woman ! 
 
CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 ARAB MATCHMAKING. 
 
 In Arabia matches are generally arranged by the 
 father, or by the head of the family. There 
 is nothing peculiar in this, as the same is done 
 even in Europe, where man and woman are allowed 
 to meet freely. Does it not often happen here that 
 a reckless father who has run. deeply into debt sees 
 no way out of his difficulties but by the sacrifice of his 
 pretty daughter to some creditor ; or that a fashion- 
 able, pleasure-loving mother hurries her child into 
 marriage for the sole purpose of obtaining an undis- 
 puted sway ? 
 
 Amongst the Arabs there are just as many despotic 
 parents, who care as little for the happiness of their 
 children, or listen to the voice of conscience. But it 
 is not abuse of power alone which makes parents in 
 those parts choose for their children ; they are com- 
 pelled to do so by the retired life of the women; 
 though even by this seclusion a meeting with men 
 cannot always be prevented. But it is a general rule 
 that a girl must not see (except perhaps from the 
 window) nor talk to her future husband before the 
 evening of her wedding. Yet he has not been quite 
 a stranger to her — his mother, his sisters and aunts 
 
164 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 have had frequent opportunities of describing him, 
 and telling her everything aboat him that ma}- be of 
 interest. 
 
 Sometimes the young couple have been acquainted 
 in early youth, as girls are permitted, up to their 
 ninth year, to associate freely with boys of the same 
 age. In such a case the young man goes to the 
 father of his old playmate to ask for her hand, after 
 having secured her own consent through the media- 
 tion of his mother or sister. . 
 
 In all such cases the cautious father asks : " But 
 where have you been able to see my daughter ? " To 
 which the reply is made : " As yet I have never had 
 the good fortune to see your honoured (makschume) 
 daughter — but I have heard a great deal about her 
 charms and virtues from my own people." 
 
 If the candidate does not suit, he is straightway 
 refused by the father, though, as a rule, the latter asks 
 for some little time to take the matter into considera- 
 tion. He does not mention a word at home about 
 what has occurred — but secretly and rigorously he 
 watches the conversation between his wife and 
 daughter. Occasionally, and in quite an indifferent 
 manner, he will speak of his intention to give a small 
 gentlemen's party in a few days, mentioning the 
 names of his friends with as little concern as 
 possible if the women require to be told them. If 
 they appear to be pleased at hearing the suitor's 
 name mentioned, he knows that some understanding 
 exists already between the two families. Then only 
 he informs his daughter that N. N. has asked for her 
 hand, and asks her opinion. Her yes or no are 
 
ARAB MATCHMAKING. 165 
 
 almost always decisive — only a despotic father takes 
 the decision upon himself without waiting for his 
 daughter's acceptance or refusal. 
 
 Our father, too, showed in such questions his sense 
 of justice, and left his children to decide their own 
 lot. A distant cousin of ours, Sund, proposed for 
 my elder sister Zuene when she was barely twelve 
 years old. My father disapproved of his pro- 
 posal on account of her youth, but did not like to 
 decline it altogether without having first consulted his 
 daughter. Zuene had lost her mother, and having no 
 one to advise her, she was so pleased with the idea of 
 being a married woman soon, that she insisted upon 
 accepting him, and my father gave his consent. 
 
 There are cases, it is true, in which children are 
 affianced and married in very early youth. Two 
 brothers had agreed upon the intermarriage of their 
 children, and, as it happened, they had only one 
 child each, the one a son, the other a daughter. 
 The marriage w r as already talked of when the boy 
 was seventeen, and the girl seven. The boy's mother, 
 who lived on an estate not far from my own, a very 
 prudent and sensible woman, often complained to me 
 of her husband and her brother-in-law, who insisted 
 upon her accepting a little child as daughter-in-law, 
 wdiom she would have to nurse and educate first, 
 while on the other hand the girl's mother was incon- 
 solable at having so soon to part with her daughter. 
 But they both only so far succeeded as to have the 
 wedding postponed for two years. I do not know 
 how the matter was finally settled, as I left Zanzibar 
 soon after. 
 
166 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 All friends and acquaintances are formally in- 
 formed of the engagement by handsomely-dressed 
 female slaves, who, sometimes to the number of 
 twenty, go from house to house with the announce- 
 ment and the invitation to the wedding, for which 
 message they are richly rewarded at each house. 
 
 The paternal home of the bride is now the scene of 
 much life and bustle, for the wedding generally takes 
 place within four weeks. Under any circumstances 
 the betrothal never lasts long, as but few arrange- 
 ments are necessary in our blessed South. There we 
 know nothing of the hundred and one things con- 
 sidered indispensable to Northern people on such 
 occasions, and an Eastern bride would become 
 speechless with surprise at the sight of a European 
 trousseau. Why are people in these parts so very 
 fond of loading their new bark with such a quantity 
 of unnecessary ballast ? 
 
 The dowry of an Arab bride is comparatively a 
 small one ; according to her rank and wealth it con- 
 sists of rich dresses, jewellery, male and female 
 slaves, of houses, plantations, and ready money. 
 She gets presents from her parents, from those of her 
 affianced husband, and from the latter himself. All 
 this remains her personal and private property, and 
 the cost of her dowry is never deducted from her 
 share of the patrimony. 
 
 The making of the bride's dresses takes some time, 
 for a lady of rank has to change her toilet twice or 
 thrice a day during the first week after her marriage. 
 A bridal dress, like the white robe and veil here, is 
 not worn in the East, but the bride must put on 
 
ARAB MATCHMAKING. 167 
 
 perfectly new garments from head to foot — the colour 
 of the dress is left to her taste. Some appear in all 
 the colours of the rainbow, yet their costume is 
 neither ugly nor without taste. 
 
 Special perfumes are prepared, which play an im- 
 portant part at the wedding feast — the- Ehia, a costly 
 mixture of powdered sandal-wood, musk, saffron, and 
 plenty of ottar of roses, is used as an ointment for 
 the hair, and a pleasant incense, made of tfre wood 
 of the "ud" (a species of the aloe), of the finest amber, 
 and of a great deal of musk. An Eastern lady never 
 can get too many perfumes. 
 
 Then comes the baking, the preparing of sweet- 
 meats, and the slaughtering of cattle, which occupies 
 all hands fully. 
 
 The bride herself has yet to go through several un- 
 pleasant and tiresome ceremonies. During the last 
 eight days she has to sjtay in a dark room, nor must 
 she put on any of her finery, so that she may appear 
 all the more resplendent on her wedding-day. All 
 this time she is a much-to-be-pitied creature — visit 
 follows upon visit, all the old women whom she 
 knows, and her nurses foremost of all, whom perhaps 
 she has not seen for years, come to her with hands 
 open ready to receive. The chief of the eunuchs, who 
 has shaved off her first hair, who is very proud of 
 this service of honour rendered to her once, begs to 
 offer his congratulations, and returns his way with a 
 souvenir — either a costly shawl, a ring for the little 
 finger of the left hand, a watch, or some guineas. 
 
 The bridegroom is spared this imprisonment in a 
 dark room, but otherwise he has to undergo quite as 
 
168 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 many trials. All those who have ever been in his 
 service or in that of his bride come to him before 
 calling upon her, and in this way they obtain double 
 presents. 
 
 The bridegroom stays at home during the last 
 three days, and only his most intimate friends visit 
 him. But there is a lively intercourse between the 
 two families — for there is no end to the interchange 
 of compjiments and of presents between bridegroom 
 and bride. 
 
 The great day appears at last. Generally the 
 nuptial ceremony is performed in the evening at the 
 bride's house, and not in the mosque. The act is per- 
 formed by a Kadi, or, if no such is to be had, by a 
 reputedly devout man. It may appear strange to a 
 European, that the principal person, the bride, is not 
 present herself during the solemn act ; she is repre- 
 sented by her father, her brother, or some other near 
 male relation. 
 
 She only appears before the Kadi in person if she has 
 no male relations at all, to be united to her bridegroom 
 with the customary ceremonies. In this case, she 
 enters the empty room first, completely muffled, after 
 which the Kadi, the bridegroom, and the witnesses 
 are admitted. After the conclusion of the ceremony, 
 in which the voice of the bride is barely audible, the 
 gentlemen leave first to let the newly-married wife 
 retire to her apartments. 
 
 All the gentlemen, the bridegroom included, par- 
 take of a sumptuous feast. Whilst this lasts, the 
 room in which it takes place is richly perfumed with 
 incense of ud and of ottar of roses. 
 
ARAB MATCHMAKING. 169 
 
 The surrender of the bride to the bridegroom does 
 not always follow upon the ceremony, but in most 
 cases three days later. Numerous persons are now 
 engaged in dressing her in her finest garments, and 
 at about nine or ten in the evening of the third day 
 she is conducted by her female relations to her new 
 abode, where the bridegroom receives her in company 
 with his male relations. Before the entrance to the 
 private rooms, leave is taken with many congratula- 
 tions and blessings, and the company then retire to 
 the reception-rooms on the ground floor, to celebrate 
 the marriage by merrily feasting for several days. 
 
 Some rules of etiquette are always to be observed 
 when the bridegroom has entered the bride's apart- 
 ment. If her rank is higher than his, she remains 
 quietly seated, nor deigns to speak to him until he has 
 first addressed her, and meanwhile still retains her 
 costly mask, which covers her features. Then, to prove 
 his affection, and as a bribe for the removal of the mask, 
 the young husband places at her feet such presents 
 as his means can afford. A few pence will suffice 
 with poor people — but by rich ones large sums are 
 spent on these offerings. 
 
 On the same evening, a general entertainment com- 
 mences in the house of the young husband, which 
 lasts three, seven, and even fourteen days. Friends, 
 acquaintances, strangers — all are welcome, and may 
 eat and drink as long as they will. There is, of course, 
 neither wine nor beer, and even smoking is not allowed 
 with the sect of the " Abadites," to which we belong 
 — but that does not prevent people from being very 
 
 merry and jolly. There are plenty of good things to 
 12 
 
170 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 eat, and almond milk, lemonade, &c; songs are sung, 
 warlike dances are performed, and stories are listened 
 to. Eunuchs perfume the rooms with ud and sprinkle 
 rose-water over the guests, out of silver dishes. 
 
 The ladies always remain together till midnight, 
 but the gentlemen stop all night till the} 7 are called 
 away to prayers in the morning. 
 
 Wedding tours are not known in the East. The 
 young couple spend their honeymoon quietly at home 
 the first week or fortnight, invisible to the outer 
 world. After this time, the young wife receives 
 visitors, and in the evenings her apartments are 
 filled with her female friends, who have come to offer 
 their congratulations. 
 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 AN ARAB LADY S CALL. 
 
 I have repeatedly mentioned that we made many 
 visits to, and received as many from, our friends and 
 acquaintances. It may be interesting to the reader 
 to learn a little more of such calls, and also about the 
 etiquette observed and the conversation on such 
 occasions. 
 
 If we wished to call upon any one, we had ourselves 
 announced on the same day by well-dressed female 
 slaves ; we rarely ventured to go without having done 
 so. In town our visits were made on foot, in the 
 country we rode. The finest dresses are, of course, 
 worn on such occasions, not only in honour of the 
 friend to be visited, but also to exhibit our costumes 
 and jewellery — just as it is done here ! 
 
 An Arab lady is not permitted to show her face ; at 
 home it is generally, and walking abroad it is always, 
 covered by a mask, which is not like those worn by 
 Egyptian women, which are ugly, and render respira- 
 tion difficult. ; Oar masks are nicely made of black 
 satin, trimmed with splendid lace of coloured silk, and 
 of gold and silver thread. They are in two parts, the 
 upper portion covering the forehead, the lower hiding 
 the nose and part of the cheeks. The eyes, the tip 
 
172 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 of the nose, mouth, neck, and half of the cheeks 
 remain free. The mask is fastened with long chains, 
 twisted several times round the head, serving at the 
 same time to keep the head-dress in its place. ) 
 
 Generally, Mahometan ladies do not walk abroad 
 into the public streets during the day — they mostly 
 do so early in the morning or in^ the evening, after 
 sunset. The streets in Zanzibar were not lit up at my 
 time ; we took lights with us to walk through the nar- 
 row, uneven, and dirty streets. A great deal of luxury 
 was carried on with these lanterns, of which the larger 
 ones sometimes were more than two yards in circum- 
 ference. The prettiest were sometimes small f ac-similes 
 of a Kussian church, a big cupola in the centre and 
 four smaller ones at the corners. The light in each 
 of these towers was reflected through glass windows, 
 white, red, green, yellow, or blue. A -lady of rank 
 always had two or three such lanterns carried before 
 her, and it required very strong slaves for that. 
 Common citizens use one lantern only. 
 
 Eainy days, though they occur rarely, hang heavily, 
 as they admit of no sociability out of the house, and 
 prevent all intercourse with the outer world. Um- 
 brellas, these indispensable companions in the North, 
 are not owned by every one in the East, nor is it easy 
 to get one borrowed for a walk. The middle classes, 
 and sometimes the negroes, carry immense umbrellas 
 of Indian make, covered with yellow, green, or black 
 oil-skin. 
 
 Ladies of rank are accompanied by a large troop of 
 armed slaves, who look more martial however than 
 they really are. These attendants are very expensive, 
 
AN ARAB LADY'S CALL. 173 
 
 as their Weapons, with the exception of musket and 
 revolver, are always very costly and richly inlaid with 
 gold and silver. But that did not prevent the rogues 
 from selling their arms for a mere trifle, or pawning 
 them at some usurer's (these nice fellows are generally 
 Hindoos or Banyans) for the mere sake of quenching 
 their thirst for once in " Pomhe " (palm wine). In 
 such cases the mistress can do nothing but redeem 
 the weapons at a tenfold rate, or equip the rascal 
 anew, and let a well-deserved, severe chastisement be 
 administered to him at the same time. Nothing, 
 however, could break them of their equanimity in 
 disposing of their masters' property, which w r as 
 always a heavier item than the buying of the 
 slaves. 
 
 The vanguard was led by ten to twenty of these 
 armed fellows, two or three in a line carrying lan- 
 terns ; the mistress, with an Arab companion, fol- 
 lowed ; and a number of well-dressed female slaves 
 closed the procession. 
 
 The slaves turned all people, high or low, passing 
 the street at the same time, out of the way ; and to 
 let the procession pass, they were obliged to take 
 refuge in a by-street or in some open doorway. This 
 measure, however, could only be carried through by 
 members of the reigning family — other great ladies 
 were not so easily obeyed, and the lower classes rarely 
 disposed themselves with alacrity to clear the way. 
 
 It was a very pretty spectacle to see such a long 
 procession move on with lanterns ; and although 
 Southern custom prescribes that perfect decorum be 
 observed in the public streets, it would be almost too 
 
174 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 much to expect that such a merry party could proceed 
 many yards in total silence — and there is a general 
 rush to doors and windows to see it pass. If a sister 
 or lady friend was met in the street, the processions 
 joined and formed into a large one. 
 
 Having arrived at the place of destination, we were 
 at once announced ; after which, we followed the 
 servants into the reception rooms, or, on moonlight 
 nights, up to the clean paved roof. 
 
 The hostess is seated on her " Medde," a seat some 
 six inches high above the ground, which is covered 
 with rich cloth of gold, reclining against a " Tekje," a 
 cushion put against the wall. It is not customary 
 for her to rise and meet her visitors as courtesy 
 requires in this countiT ; she only rises to express her 
 pleasure, or in honour of the rank and station of the 
 calling lady. 
 
 Arab women are very reserved to strangers, whether 
 of high or low station ; but whenever they meet you 
 as friends the difference in birth and rank disappears 
 at once. It is true that Southern women are more 
 easily inclined to be jealous, but they also love more 
 intensely than the children of the cold North ; there 
 the heart is allowed to speak for itself, while here the 
 cool, calculating mind rules alone — which no doubt is 
 as well, considering the different mode of life. 
 
 The visitors kiss the hands of the hostess, her 
 head, and the hem of her shawl (persons of equal 
 rank only shake hands), and they then seat them- 
 selves. Only a lady of the same rank can sit down 
 on the Medde — those of an inferior station in life 
 have to sit at some distance. 
 
AN ARAB LADY'S CALL. 175 
 
 The mask is retained ; with the exception of the 
 shoes no part of the dress is removed, not even the 
 Scheie. In walking, the wooden sandals are re- 
 placed hy the richly-emhroiclered " Kosch," a kind 
 of leather slipper with broad heel. The shoes are 
 slipped off before entering the room, and this custom 
 is followed from the sovereign down to the slave. It 
 is the business of the attending slaves to place these 
 shoes, which are all much alike, in such a way that 
 the owner on leaving can at once step into them. 
 Even in this there is a strict rule of etiquette main- 
 tained : the slippers of the lady highest in rank are 
 placed in the centre, and all the others round in a 
 circle. 
 
 Coffee is then handed round in little cups, and this 
 is repeated whenever a new visitor appears ; fruits 
 and sweetmeats are served besides. 
 
 The hostess is not required to keep up the conversa- 
 tion, and certainly not such a formal one as in these 
 parts, from mere politeness. People are perfectly 
 natural, and talk about everything they can think of. 
 There are no theatres or concerts, balls or circuses, 
 that can be talked about ; nor are there any bright 
 remarks made on the state of the weather. The con- 
 versation turns mostly on personal affairs and on 
 agricultural pursuits, for which every lady of rank 
 has a taste. There is nothing to check or restrain 
 good spirits, and jests are exchanged without anxious 
 regard to dignity. It is one of the greatest blessings 
 Southern people enjoy, that they are nearly always 
 bright and merry. Why should they not be so, when 
 their serene and bright sky at all times sets them so 
 
176 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 good an example ? And how should they have fits of 
 the blues when Nature grants them so bountifully all 
 they need and can wish for ? 
 
 During visiting hours the master of the house does 
 not come into the rooms of his wife, daughter, or 
 mother. The sovereign only, and his nearest male 
 relations, are dispensed from this rule ; but whenever 
 a lady cousin of equal rank from Oman was present, 
 even our brothers and nephews were not allowed to 
 enter without being announced. The husband of a 
 married sister, upon whom I call, remains in his 
 reception room until I have departed. If the master 
 of the house is compelled to talk about some matter 
 of moment to one of his female relations, he has her 
 called into another room. The same is done by ladies 
 who wish to speak to their male relations, when these 
 are engaged with their friends. This custom is 
 rigorously observed even if a lady stays with her 
 friend all day, say from half-past five a.m. to seven 
 o'clock p.m. ; and the gentlemen are frequently put 
 to a great deal of inconvenience to avoid coming across 
 strange ladies. 
 
 Still the Oriental bears the inevitable with in- 
 credible patience; for he has been reared in these 
 views, and has lived no other life. The force of habit 
 and its influence remains alike everywhere. I do not 
 at all deny that many things in the East are exagge- 
 rated, and may appear superfluous. But are people 
 in Europe quite free from such conventional tyranny 
 and foolish customs ? In one country the strictest 
 reserve is observed in the intercourse between men 
 and women ; the most licentious liberty prevails in. 
 
AN ARAB LADY'S CALL. 177 
 
 the other. There, a state of muffling up and wearing 
 of masks in spite of the heat ; here, in the cold North, 
 the fashion of low dresses, and so on. All these are 
 extremes; both things are overdone, and the happy me- 
 dium has not, as yet, been put into practice anywhere. 
 
 Amidst very lively conversation these calls gener- 
 ally last from three to four hours. At last the time 
 has come to part. The slaves must be roused to get 
 into order for the procession ; the lanterns are 
 always kept lighted during the visit — a perfectly 
 useless extravagance — but it is " swell " to do so. 
 
 Before separating, the hostess presents each visitor 
 with a parting gift, however trifling, and the same 
 compliments are exchanged as at the arrival. It 
 always takes some time before the different processions 
 form into proper order to return home ; but home 
 must be reached by midnight, this being the hour for 
 night prayers. 
 
 The Arab ladies possess another great advantage 
 over their European sisters : they are never required 
 to thank their hostess at parting for their entertain- 
 ment, and make pretty, hypocritical speeches. It is 
 bad enough to be compelled to go to a tiresome party, 
 it is worse still to have to express thanks for it after- 
 wards. I have often heard ladies in this part of the 
 world highly complimenting their hostess on the 
 great success of her delightful party, and immediately 
 afterwards picking them both to pieces. What de- 
 grading hypocrisy ! Would it not bring us nearer to 
 our Creator if everybody endeavoured to meet his 
 neighbour in a kindly, yet a straightforward, spirit ? 
 Why carry on such an eternal masquerade ? 
 
CHAPTEB XIX. 
 
 THE AUDIENCE. INTERCOURSE BETWEEN GENTLEMEN. 
 
 Twice a day, by an old-established custom, all the 
 male relations, the ministers and officials — in fact, all 
 those who wish to see or speak to him — are allowed 
 free access to the sovereign in the morning after 
 breakfast and later in the day, after fourth prayer. 
 The audience chamber (barze) was on the ground- 
 floor, in a wing of the palace, built close to the sea- 
 shore, and at high tide the water came right up 
 to its walls; there was a magnificent view far out 
 into the sea from its windows. It was a very large 
 chamber, and yet not sufficiently so to contain, at 
 times, all persons who appeared. The furniture was 
 in the same plain style as in all Arab rooms, con- 
 sisting only of some carpets, of tall looking-glasses, 
 some clocks, and of a number of chairs ranged along 
 the walls. 
 
 As no Arab of rank goes out by himself, there 
 was always a crowd of some hundreds of followers 
 outside the doors waiting for the return of their 
 masters and friends. As many of them as could find 
 a place sat down on the stone seats provided, the 
 remainder stood about in the open court of the palace. 
 
THE AUDIENCE. 179 
 
 To us this was always a very interesting spectacle — 
 for the gentlemen appeared at the audiences in their 
 state-dresses, that is to say, with turbans, and in the 
 long overcoat (djocha) reaching down to the ankles, 
 with their scarves girt round. 
 
 At home the Arab covers his shaven head with a 
 white skull-cap, which is sometimes very handsomely 
 embroidered, but whenever he walks abroad he puts 
 on his turban (amame). It requires a great deal of 
 skill to .twist it up, and takes some people more than 
 half an hour to arrange it properly. It must be taken 
 off very carefully, so that it may not collapse ; but, as 
 a rule, it is built up afresh every time it is worn. 
 The cloth used for it is not expensive, and only costs 
 some five to eight dollars ; much more costly, how- 
 ever, is the material for the scarves (mahsem), their 
 price varying from twenty to two hundred dollars 
 each ; it is of silk richly interwoven with gold and 
 silver thread. A man of rank possesses a great many 
 scarves, and changes them as frequently as people in 
 this country change ties ; old and devout men, who 
 no longer care for fashion, wear only mahsems of 
 plain white or black silk. The Arab's full dress is 
 not complete without his weapons, as I already 
 mentioned before. They are generally handed to him 
 by his wife or daughter, or by his son, when he is 
 about to leave the house. 
 
 Before entering the audience-chamber, the gentle- 
 men slip off their shoes, and by the manner in which 
 this is done the different ranks can be easily dis- 
 tinguished. The common people, for instance, take 
 off their " watjes " some distance from the door; 
 
180 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 those of rank and station just in front of it. This 
 is not ordered by some " despotic " law, it is an es- 
 tablished and voluntary action. The Arab is ac- 
 customed of old to pay respect to every station, and 
 his sentiments to his sovereign and to his house are 
 instinctively loyal. 
 
 As soon as the audience-chamber is full, the sultan 
 opens the proceedings. During my father's life, the 
 procession was formed in the following manner : A 
 detachment of negro guards came first ; then a 
 number of young eunuchs headed by the chief 
 eunuchs ; behind these my father, followed by his 
 sons, the youngest closing up the column. In front 
 of the entrance to the barze the guards and eunuchs 
 formed into double line, through which my father, 
 with his sons, passed into the chamber. All rose to 
 salute him, and the same order of procession was 
 repeated when he retired from the assembly. If a 
 man of rank wished to leave the room before the 
 audience was over, my father used to walk with him 
 a few steps, and the whole company rose. To Euro- 
 peans this may appear peculiar, and the liberty 
 allowed to every one to come in and go without being 
 dismissed by the monarch, or until the latter had 
 left himself, is to a certain extent quite in opposition 
 to the usual ceremonious bearing of the Arab. 
 
 At the morning audiences coffee was rarely served, 
 but this was always done at those of the evening, after 
 which business began. Everybody had a right to 
 come forward and prefer a request, or to bring in a 
 complaint, and to ask for a decision in his case. 
 Nearly all the proceedings were verbal ones — either 
 
THE AUDIENCE. 181 
 
 to settle affairs or give judgments in writing is much 
 disliked. Petty business was mostly referred to the 
 ministers or to the kadis (judges), and even to the 
 chief eunuchs. The audience continued for two to 
 three hours ; people who had not got their business 
 settled within this time, or who had come in too 
 late, were ordered by the chief eunuchs to let the 
 arbitration stand over till next day. 
 
 From the age of fourteen to sixteen the princes are 
 permitted to assist at the assembly ; afterwards they 
 are even obliged to. In the same way every notable 
 is obliged to put in an apj)earance, to show his loyalty 
 and respect to his sovereign, unless he be prevented 
 by some urgent reason. If any such notable absent 
 himself for several days running, the reason for his 
 absence is at once inquired into at his house, and in 
 case of sickness he may count upon a speedy visit from 
 his master ; not even the most contagious diseases, 
 such as cholera or smallpox, will prove a hindrance — 
 indeed, this will prevent no one from going near him, 
 for all things are predestined and ordered by God. 
 The nurses of the sick man, his wife, mother, or other 
 females, of course leave the sick-room while other 
 men are present. 
 
 Every Arab of standing has such a barze on the 
 ground floor of his house, quite apart from the 
 ladies' rooms, and there he generally lives and re- 
 ceives his friends. In most cases, the floor is paved 
 with black and white slabs of French marble, and to 
 keep the chamber cool there are neither carpets nor 
 mats in it. 
 
 The gentlemen have the same visiting hours as the 
 
182 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 ladies, after seven o'clock in the evening. The Arab 
 never goes out without a certain aim or object ; he 
 never dreams of taking the so-called constitutional 
 walk, and if he sees a European pacing up and down 
 on the roof of his house in the evening, he thinks he 
 is saying his prayers in a fashion peculiar to 
 Christians. 
 
 I need not add anything about the ceremonials or 
 the conversation carried on at these gentlemen's calls ; 
 they are much the same as. with the ladies, only there 
 are more topics to be talked about, such as the affairs 
 of town and country, the features of the last audience, 
 the petitions and various lawsuits either pending or 
 settled. To all these parties, and to the audiences 
 especially, Europeans are freely admitted, and thus 
 the patriarchal way of living with us, its advantages 
 and disadvantages, are much better known in the 
 North than anything connected with an Eastern 
 woman's secluded life. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 THE LONG FAST. 
 
 Most people may have heard that the Mahometans 
 have to fast some time every day for a whole month, 
 until the sun has sunk below the horizon, but the 
 Mahometan fasting is not like that of the Roman 
 Catholics, which is very easy in comparison. Every 
 Moslim fasts himself and makes his children do so 
 after their twelfth year. My mother being very devout, 
 I had to keep the month of the Runidan (thus 
 pronounced by us, and not as it is here generally, 
 Ramadan) from the time when I was nine years old. 
 It is indeed no easy matter for a child of that age 
 to eat and drink nothing whatever for fourteen hours 
 and a half every day. Thirst being much more trying 
 in the tropics than hunger, and having very little 
 conception of religious duties at that age, I admit I 
 more than once, quenched my thirst secretly with 
 water. When questioned by my mother, I ruefully 
 confessed my sin, and was only forgiven after promising 
 not to trespass again. The rules are so strict, that it 
 is even considered wrong to swallow the saliva, and 
 for the first few days I was in such a drooping state, 
 that I was sent away to sleep, to get over the time. 
 
184 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 The beginning of the fast is signalled at four o'clock 
 in the morning by firing from the ship ; from that 
 very moment you cease eating, you put down the cup 
 untouched that you were about to raise to your lips. 
 After these shots no grown-up person in sound health 
 touches either meat or drink; people sleep, however, 
 a good deal during the day, to enable them to enjoy the 
 pleasures of the table at night. 
 
 The sun sets at six o'clock; at half-past six, after 
 prayers, the fast is broken. Beautiful fruit and cool 
 water are taken as first refreshment, and then the 
 whole family meets, and with every conceivable variety 
 of delicacies makes up for lost time. 
 
 During the month of Eumdan, the Arab completely 
 puts aside his ordinary simple habits, and devotes 
 himself completely to sumptuous feasting. 
 
 On the whole, it is a very social time — hymns are 
 sung throughout the evenings and nights, stories are 
 told, while eating and drinking go on uninter- 
 ruptedly. At midnight a gun gives the signal for those 
 who have gone to sleep, to get up for the night meal 
 (Suhur), which is taken between three and four in the 
 morning, and even the little children who have been 
 put to bed at ten o'clock, are roused to take part in 
 it. The Suhur is generally served to all persons 
 separately in their own rooms. 
 
 In this manner the whole month is passed. Faint- 
 ing fits occur frequently at its commencement, and 
 people grow visibly thin and slender — but gradually 
 they get more accustomed to this mode of life, and 
 they sleep less in the daytime than they did at 
 first. 
 
THE LONG FAST. 185 
 
 The fast is kept very strictly, and the head of the 
 house keeps his slaves to it, especially those engaged 
 in the household and the personal attendants. An 
 exception is only made with slaves working on the 
 plantations, who, having for the most part no religion 
 at all, are at liberty to fa«t or not. 
 
 Children and all invalids are dispensed, of course, 
 but the latter have to make up, after recovery, for the 
 days missed, by an equal number of unbroken fastings 
 in the course of the year. The same rule is valid for 
 people travelling at this time. 
 
 The fasting season is not meant to be a mere pro- 
 bation to the outer man — it is intended to be a time 
 of serious reflection to the devout Mahometan. He 
 endeavours to discover his own deficiencies, and prays 
 for forgiveness of his sins, in the same way as a good 
 Christian spends Lent and the Holy Week. Even 
 dangerous beasts are spared during this holy time, and 
 every one endeavours to do as much good as he can. 
 Thus the Rumdan is intended to be, as far as possible, a 
 time of " Peace on earth, and goodwill towards men." 
 Those who may at all other times lead a heedless life, 
 are in this month's rigid service of their Lord brought 
 nearer and raised to Him. 
 
 The traditional hospitality of the Arab never shows 
 itself more than in this period, when it is con- 
 sidered a religious duty. All those who have a family 
 or a household of their own, entertain as many 
 strangers as they can find, olten without inquiring 
 their names. They request the warden of the mosque 
 they habitually attend to send them a certain num? 
 
 ber of poor to their evening meals. The persong 
 13 
 
186 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 invited are not necessarily poor people, they are often 
 rich men of high rank, who, being strangers in the 
 place, have no home of their own during this holy 
 season, and the true and hospitable Arab is only too 
 happy to supply this want. No one considers it 
 derogatory to be entertained by a man poorer than 
 himself, nor would he in that case think of offering to 
 pay for the hospitality received. Selfishness cannot 
 become a national sin where such principles prevail. 
 Happy those nations where charity is practised as a 
 sacred duty. 
 
 The Eumdan is in some respects like Christmas- 
 time. A great many presents are distributed on the 
 first day of the following month, Schewal, which is 
 one of the great feast days of the Mahometans. These 
 presents consist but rarely of ladies' fancy work ; in 
 general they are articles purchased ready made. The 
 best business is done by goldsmiths and jewellers — 
 nearly all of these are Hindoos and Banyans, and they 
 are without exception the most mendacious crew. 
 They are, however, very clever workmen, and have 
 succeeded in driving all the Arab goldsmiths out of 
 the field. They have plenty to do before the feast ; 
 they get more orders than they can execute, but under- 
 take them nevertheless. To insure our orders being 
 executed in time, we had to send a couple of armed 
 slaves to the workshop to watch our work being clone, 
 and to prevent other orders being finished first. 
 These may seem rather strong measures, but we had 
 no choice else. One of my sisters first suggested this 
 expedient. 
 
 The presents most preferred consisted of arms. To 
 
TIIE LONG FAST. 187 
 
 European ladies it may sound odd that a woman 
 makes a present of weapons to her husband, her 
 brother, her son, or her bridegroom. Bat it must be 
 remembered that these are not ordinary arms, but 
 perfect gems of workmanship, and Arabs do not mind 
 paying fabulous sums for them — when they are in- 
 tended as presents. 
 
 Many other things are bestowed besides jewels and 
 arms, such as beautiful horses, white riding donkeys, 
 and — it will shock the civilized European to hear it — 
 even slaves ! 
 
 The last week of the Rumdan is spent with great 
 preparations in every household for this feast, and as 
 the first day of Schewal draws nearer, there is much 
 bustling in getting the presents and everything else 
 ready in time. The night of the twenty-seventh day 
 is considered the most holy one, it being the " night 
 of value," in which Mhamed received the Koran from 
 heaven. The prayers on this particular night are 
 uttered with the full conviction of their being granted. 
 
 On the last day of the month, the twenty-ninth or 
 thirtieth (our months have only twenty-nine or thirty 
 days, and our year three hundred and fifty-five days), 
 all try to be the first to discover the new moon. In 
 our country only scholars are initiated into the use 
 of the almanacs — but on this occasion its prognostica- 
 tions alone would not avail, as the new moon must be 
 clearly seen before the fast can be said to be at an 
 end — a discovery which is rarely retarded by clouds 
 in our deep blue southern vault. 
 
 Opera and field-glasses are passed from hand to 
 hand — friends and acquaintances from a long distance 
 
188 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 send to get the loan of one for a short time. Keen- 
 eyed men are sent up to the roof of the fort (a remnant 
 of the Portuguese dominion) and to the mastheads of 
 our ships to signal the first approach of the silvery 
 crook. 
 
 The greatest excitement always prevailed in our 
 palace. Forgetting that a shot fired off on board the 
 ships right in front of us could hardly have passed 
 unnoticed some one cries out every now and then, 
 " There's the signal/' '-'Hark!" all of which of 
 course are false alarms, till at last a crash shakes our 
 building from roof to basement, and immediately on 
 that follow cries of joy from every soul in the town, 
 with the words, " Id mbarak " (a happy feast to you). 
 People on distant plantations despatch mounted mes- 
 sengers into the town to learn and bring back the 
 longed-for news, or they send slaves up into high 
 trees to watch the horizon ; but should any false 
 alarm cause the fast to be broken before its lawful 
 termination, then the shortcoming must be made up, 
 which is a harder trial while it lasts than the whole 
 month put together. 
 
CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 THE LITTLE FESTIVAL. 
 
 As I have already said, the preparations for the cele- 
 bration of this feast begin a week beforehand. A 
 large supply of bullocks, sheep, goats, gazelles, fowls, 
 and ducks, has been provided (veal is not used, and 
 pork forbidden to Mahometans), and the stalls are 
 barely large enough to hold all the beasts. The 
 eunuchs of rich people are very busy changing gold 
 pieces and guineas for silver dollars, to be distributed 
 during the festival among the poor, especially among 
 the numerous poor from Oman. 
 
 Immediately after the signal, announcing that the 
 celebration of the so-called "little festival " is to take 
 place on the morrow, a very picturesque and lively 
 spectacle is enacted in every Arab house. People, 
 whose usual demeanour is staid and dignified, rush 
 about hurriedly to offer congratulations to all their 
 dear ones, and in this high-water-mark state of 
 general brotherhood inveterate enemies are frequently 
 seen to shake hands. There is such hurrying and 
 scurrying, such talking in various languages, and 
 such quarrelling among the slaves, who have yet to 
 get through some work, all through the night, that it 
 is impossible to get any rest whatever. 
 
190 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 The butchers (slaves) rush upon their bellowing 
 and squeaking victims, and despatch them with the 
 words, " In the name of the Lord, the merciful; " the 
 throats of the animals are cut in a strictly ritual 
 manner, the heads quickly severed from the body, 
 and after being skinned the animals are sent into the 
 kitchens at once to be prepared for the festive meal 
 of the morrow. On such an evening our slaughtering 
 yard was changed into a lake of blood; for this reason 
 all the Banyans at Zanzibar, who are vegetarians, 
 looked upon our feasts with much horror, and took 
 care not to come near any such places at this time. 
 I have already spoken of these Banyans as the prin- 
 cipal traders and money-lenders in the town, and in 
 the last capacity they are, beyond a doubt, the 
 greatest cut-throats imaginable ; they are bitterly 
 hated on this account, and on occasions like these 
 there is a splendid opportunity for their victims to 
 take revenge upon them. Among the lower-class 
 people it is a standing joke to entice the Bairyans, 
 who never allow any chance of business to slip out of 
 their grasp, under pretence of some important order, 
 into these blood-streaming yards, which is the 
 greatest insult that can be offered to the star- 
 worshippers, of whom it can be said, however, in spite 
 of their low, moral standing, that they adhere 
 religiously to their code in being strict vegetarians. 
 
 In some of the ladies' chambers the burning ques- 
 tion of dress is still being gone into or revived before 
 the morning. Every fair one desires to surpass the 
 other. Three complete costumes are required for the 
 three feast days, every item of which must be brand 
 
THE LITTLE FESTIVAL. 191 
 
 new. Incredible quantities of fresh roses, jessamine, 
 orange-blossom, musk, amber, and all kinds of the 
 finest Oriental perfumes and essences are used during 
 this time. Many an Arab lady spends more than 
 five hundred dollars on perfumery alone, and no 
 nerves could stand these conglomerate strong scents 
 if the doors and windows were not always kept 
 open. 
 
 The henna is an important article of an Eastern 
 lady's toilet, particularly on festive occasions ; it is 
 prepared from the leaves of a medium-sized tree, and 
 serves to dye the feet of the women and children red. 
 This henna, so indispensable to Eastern ladies, is 
 used, for two purposes — as a remedy for boils, prickly 
 heat, itching, and the like, and as an ointment for 
 the hands and feet. The leaves, resembling those of 
 the ntyrtle, are not efficacious if used alone; they are 
 dried, pulverized, and mixed with some lemon-juice 
 and water. A stiff paste is made of this, which must 
 be exposed to the sun for several hours, when used it 
 is again softened with lemon juice. 
 
 The lady who is about to undergo the dying pro- 
 cess is stretched out full length on her back, and is 
 not allowed to stir. The paste is put on the sole of 
 the feet, the toes included, about an inch thick — the 
 upper part of the feet is never dyed ; soft leaves are 
 then applied as a covering, and the whole is tightly 
 wrapped in linen. The same process is gone through 
 with the palm of the hand and the fingers. To keep 
 the application in its place, she must remain all night 
 perfectly still without moving ; for no other parts 
 but those named must have the dye, and a smudge 
 
192 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 on the back of the hand or on the finger-joints is con- 
 sidered a great disfigurement. 
 
 All this time she is dreadfully teazed by the 
 swarms of mosquitoes and flies, but she dare not move 
 to drive them away. In the upper classes women 
 slaves have to watch all night by their mistress, to 
 keep these plagues off with fans until the paste can 
 be removed in tbe morning. The same process must 
 be gone through three nights running, to obtain the 
 desired dark red tint ; then it sticks for about four 
 weeks, and resists all washing. 
 
 I remember reading once about a fashion that pre- 
 vailed in France at one time, of employing only one 
 particular hairdresser who was very clever, and that 
 this man, in order to satisfy on festive occasions his 
 numerous customers, had to begin his work on the 
 previous day, and that the ladies were compelled to 
 pass all night seated in their high-backed chairs 
 without stirring, so as not to disarrange their fashion- 
 able head-dress. This story reminded me very much 
 of my youth in the East, though the sufferings we 
 had to undergo for vanity's sake were even worse. 
 
 Middle-aged ladies and little children are not sub- 
 jected to this tormenting process ; they only employ the 
 henna as a cooling ointment, and wash their hands 
 with a liquid solution thereof. 
 
 The festive day has at last arrived ; as early as 
 four o'clock all are in full dress. More time is spent 
 over prayers, and more fervently this morning than 
 usual. At half-past five some ladies may be met 
 already hurrying along the gallery in all their magni- 
 ficent finery, showing their new dresses and jewels to 
 
THE LITTLE FESTIVAL. 193 
 
 particular friends. It would not do to postpone this 
 to a later hour, for the general splendour by and by 
 would preclude any close and individual inspection, 
 and swallow up the due share of admiration. The 
 scene is something like that in a European ball-room, 
 with the difference that quieter colours or white 
 dresses prevail there. I wonder what a European 
 belle would think of an Arab lady's " full dress," 
 and whether she would care to exchange her gauzy 
 and delicately tinted ball costume for the following 
 combination : a loose red silk ' dress, richly em- 
 broidered with gold thread in different patterns, 
 elaborately trimmed with gold or silver lace, and 
 satin trousers of bright green. It sounds odd, I own, 
 but habit soon does away with a great many of 
 our scruples. I was struck with something of the 
 same feeling, but from a perfectly opposite cause 
 when for the first time I saw people in Europe 
 dressed in sober grey and black. I w r as far from over- 
 joyed at having to adopt these dark shades myself, 
 and being told that they were conformable with good 
 taste and breeding. 
 
 The first gun is fired at six o'clock, to be followed 
 by the firing of a succession of shots in honour of 
 the Feast of the Faithful ; if there are any foreign 
 men-of-war in port, they also fire a salute of twenty- 
 one guns. Every Arab shows his joy on such a day 
 by letting off as many fireworks as he can — a 
 stranger might almost fancy himself in a bombarded 
 city. Every ship in port runs up whatever flags she 
 has, as do our own men-of-war. 
 
 An hour later all the mosques are crowded to 
 
194 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 excess — no Arab stays at home on this day — and those 
 who cannot find a place within say their prayers in 
 the open street. Mahometan worship is attended 
 with a great deal of bodily exertion ; it prescribes 
 bowing down very low, and touching the ground with 
 the forehead repeatedly. To have to do this in a 
 dirty ill-paved street is decidedly unpleasant. The 
 faithful must not let their prayers be interrupted by 
 rain or thunderstorm, and on festive occasions, it is 
 specially ordained to say them either inside or close 
 to a mosque. Our father always went to the nearest 
 mosque on such days shortly before the hour for 
 prayers, followed by his numerous sons, and by a 
 very large retinue. 
 
 Meanwhile, there is a great deal of bustle in our 
 house to get everything ready for the entertainment 
 of the numerous people, who come to offer their con- 
 gratulations on the return of the gentlemen from the 
 mosque. As soon as the conclusion of the worship 
 is made known by the guns, everybody is free to 
 enjoy the good cheer offered, for the fast only closes 
 when the prayers in the mosque are over. 
 
 We waited for our father's return in his apartments, 
 from where we could see the crowds of visitors arrive. 
 On his entering the room, we all rose to congratulate 
 him, and to kiss his hands. This kissing of hands 
 continues all day, only, however, between people of 
 high rank ; the middle class kiss the head, or rather 
 the cloth on the head of those superior in station, and 
 common people kiss the feet. 
 
 The moment for the distribution of the presents 
 had now arrived. Accompanied by my sister Chole 
 
THE LITTLE FESTIVAL. 195 
 
 and by Djohar, the chief of the upper eunuchs, both 
 of whom were not a little envied for this proof of 
 confidence, my father went into his treasury, which 
 contained a great variety of precious objects, such as 
 costly arms inlaid with precious stones, all kinds of 
 women's trinkets, from the plainest to the most ex- 
 pensive, rare materials for dresses, ordered expressly 
 from Persia, Turkey, or from China, ottar of roses 
 and other varieties of fine essences in large jars, from 
 which smaller bottles were filled, and any amount of 
 glittering gold pieces. 
 
 It was impossible to expect that our father should 
 know how much and what kinds of jeweller}*- each of 
 his wives or daughters possessed, or what they desired 
 to have ; he generally inquired a few days beforehand 
 to learn the wishes of each, but Chole would again 
 refresh his memory when he selected the gifts. 
 
 The sorting was done by the eunuchs in our father's 
 presence, the name of the recipient was attached to 
 each article, and handed over by the eunuchs. The 
 presents were of course inspected at once, and it 
 occurred frequently that they were returned to our 
 father with the request to change them for something 
 else, which was granted in most cases, as he was ex- 
 tremely good-natured. He was always very liberal, 
 but never received anything in return. It is a beauti- 
 ful custom in Europe for children to offer presents to 
 their parents on their birthdays or at Christmas — 
 the head of an Eastern family does not fare so well. 
 Arab children never give a present to their father. 
 
 Hitherto, I have only spoken of the presents made 
 by my father to his family ; his obligations did not, 
 
196 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 however, end there. On this day everybody expected 
 something ; he had to remember all high African or 
 Asiatic chiefs who happened to be in Zanzibar at the 
 time, his officials, the soldiers and their officers, the 
 captains of his ships and the crews, the managers of 
 his forty-five estates, and last, but not least, all his 
 slaves, exceeding 8,000 in number. The various gifts 
 were, of course, suited to the rank of the receiver ; 
 the slaves, for instance, merely received materials for 
 dresses. To all these many hundreds of poor may be 
 added, who sometimes came a fortnight afterwards 
 to claim a present ; on the whole, it was not a bad 
 time for the poor, who received rich donations from 
 all the wealthy people. 
 
 A similar and quite as comprehensive a distribution 
 of presents took place at Bet il Mtoni. I often 
 wondered at the inexhaustible productiveness of the 
 treasure chamber to withstand such a drain, par- 
 ticularly on ready money, as was made upon it during 
 these three days, which proves, I think, that our 
 father was an excellent manager, and a clever business 
 man. 
 
CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE GREAT FESTIVAL. 
 
 The Mahometan celebrates only two great festivals 
 in the course of the year, and to a Roman Catholic 
 with his numerous saints' days this may seem very 
 strange. Two months intervene between the little 
 and the great feasts, called Id il hadj generally known 
 in Turkey and in Europe by the name of the great 
 Beiram feast. 
 
 It is a repetition of the one I have just described, 
 with the difference only that it is celebrated in a still 
 more beautiful and grander style, and is altogether of 
 a more solemn order. It is the time of the great 
 pilgrimage to Mekke,* which is the dearest wish of 
 every one of the Faithful to undertake at least once 
 during life. The devout Muslim cannot be deterred 
 by the danger of cholera and other epidemics, which 
 carry off many thousands of the pilgrims at times; 
 countless crowds join every year to seek forgiveness 
 of their sins in the holy city of the Prophet. These 
 poor people have to travel on foot over long distances; 
 and the manner in which they are conveyed in over- 
 crowded ships is really dreadful. Still they go, 
 
 * The word is pronounced as written above, and not Mekka. 
 
198 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 putting their trust in the Lord, in whose hands their 
 life is. Truly, such faith, which knows not fear, and 
 shuns no hardship to carry out this religious duty, 
 may well hope for mercy. 
 
 This, the greatest feast of the Mahometans, falls 
 on the tenth day of the twelfth month of the year, 
 and lasts from three to seven days. Many hallow 
 the same by a nine days' fast, beginning on the first 
 day of the month, in the same way as is done by the 
 devout pilgrims to Mekke. 
 
 Whoever can possibly afford it, procures a sheep, 
 which is killed on the first holiday, and distributed 
 among the poor. The law prescribes, that the sheep, 
 intended for this purpose, be of the very best quality, 
 and perfectly sound ; it must not have lost even a 
 single tooth. It is, of course, next to impossible to 
 procure so faultless a sheep, and we used to send 
 slaves all over the island a fortnight and more before 
 to obtain what we required, but if none were to be 
 had near home, the slaves crossed over to the African 
 continent, where there is a greater abundance. The 
 owners knew that Arabs of high rank were ready to pay 
 any price for really fine sheep, and made their charges 
 according ; so that, added to the other expenses in- 
 curred in the purchase, each specimen represented 
 a somewhat disproportionate value. 
 
 No part, however, of the immolated animal may 
 be consumed by any of the family nor by the slaves — 
 every particle must be given away to the poor. 
 
 To them, the great feast is the most important 
 event of the whole year, as on this occasion one of 
 the most commendable of all Mahometan eustoms is 
 
THE GREAT FESTIVAL. 199 
 
 made manifest, viz., the self-taxation in favour of the 
 poor. 
 
 With the exception of such half-cultured States as 
 Turkey, Egypt, and Tunis, public funds and shares 
 are things quite unknown in the true East ; nobody 
 understands the meaning of the word investment. All 
 the property consists in plantations, houses, slaves, 
 jewels, and ready money. Keligious law exhorts 
 every Mahometan to give to the poor a tithe of the 
 yearly profit on his crops, the rental of his houses, or 
 any other source of income. At the same time he must 
 get all his property, consisting of precious stones and 
 gold and silver, valued by experts, and relinquish the 
 tenth part for the same purpose. 
 
 All this is done without any authorized civic super- 
 vision or control. Alone the voice of conscience 
 prompts to the performance of this duty. This law 
 of the Prophet is kept particularly sacred, and none 
 but people of really bad character ever try to elude 
 it. Moreover, this act of charity is never talked 
 about or inquired into, but is carried out on the pre- 
 cept that the left hand shall not know what the right 
 hand doeth. 
 
 This may account for the fact that such a great 
 number of beggars, if I may say so, are quite an in- 
 dispensable institution in every Mahometan state, 
 and also for the reason of this self-taxation. But 
 these poor people must not be compared with the 
 poor in these parts, who have far better claims on 
 our charity. For one-half of the Oriental beggars 
 possess more perhaps than they want. Begging is 
 their trade — it has become their second nature, and 
 
200 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 they would never be lit for anything else. Their craft 
 is more often than not a heritage, and you may 
 happen to be accosted thus : " Why, don't you know 
 me ? I am the daughter (or the son, the sister-in- 
 law, &c.,) of So-and-so, to whom you always used to 
 give so much, when they were alive. Now I have 
 taken their place, and if you have any alms to give, 
 please be good enough to send them to such or such 
 a place." 
 
 Hundreds of such poor used to assemble for their 
 share of the alms we distributed in fulfilment of cer- 
 tain vows we made during the year. They gather 
 also under the windows of sick people, and alms given 
 in such cases are called "Satka." No Mahometan 
 will refuse the poor on such occasions, even if he has 
 to part with all he has. Whatever his motive may be 
 — real charity or the hope of being acceptable in the 
 eyes of God, I think it a beautiful custom. 
 
 Many of these beggars are covered with wounds 
 and sores — some go about minus some feature, and 
 otherwise horribly maimed and disfigured. They are 
 the victims of a very bad disease called Belas, which 
 attacks hands and feet first, and leaves these snow- 
 white ever after. Everybody flies from them, as the 
 taint is thought to be contagious. I cannot say 
 whether this is leprosy or not, but these unfortunates 
 always receive rich alms. 
 
 The giving away of presents does not, however, 
 stop with the feast itself. For those who may have 
 been ill or absent at the time do not forego their 
 right to their share of the alms. Weeks and months 
 may have passed away — the new feast may already 
 
THE GKEAT FESTIVAL. 201 
 
 be close at hand — still tbey come and claim their 
 overdue present. 
 
 There is no other religious holiday for the next 
 nine or ten months — nothing to interrupt the even 
 and regular course of life, unless it be by some such 
 festivities already described or about to be described 
 in the next chapter. Birthdays are not celebrated in 
 our country. 
 
 14 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 AN OFFERING AT THE SPRING TSCHEMSCHEM. 
 
 When I was about fifteen years old, I wore one day 
 for the first time a red dress of silk brocade ; and 
 on the very next day some kind of inflammation 
 spread over my whole body. Old and experienced 
 people declared at once that I was bewitched, or that 
 some jealous being had cast an evil eye on the pretty 
 dress. I had, however, always been a great sceptic 
 in this respect, and declined to part with my new 
 dress, which, in spite of all warnings, I put on again. 
 Perhaps the dye really contained some poisonous 
 substance — or from some other unexplained reason — I 
 was taken ill again, and had to stay in bed. The 
 matter was now perfectly clear — I was not allowed to 
 wear the dress any more ; therefore, to settle the 
 point, I gave it to a courageous citizen's wife, who 
 believed no more in witchcraft than I did. Had I 
 acted strictly in accordance with the prescribed pre- 
 caution in such cases, I should have ordered a "spell" 
 to be said over it, or had it burnt so as to completely 
 destroy its evil effect. 
 
 The above may serve as a little sample of the kind 
 of superstition that prevails in the East. I have 
 
AN OFFERING AT THE SPRING TSCHEMSCHEM. 203 
 
 spoken on this subject before, and some more details 
 may follow now, connected with the rites of a certain 
 oblation, also originating in superstition. 
 
 Some springs are believed to possess special miracu- 
 lous powers — not their waters, but their presiding 
 spirits. Such a spirit will do all it can for those who 
 implicitly believe in and do honour to its power ; it 
 can cure the sick, restore lost people to their homes, 
 arrange a good match for those who wish to marry, 
 give childless parents their desire ;.it can soften angry 
 parents, reconcile husband and wife and friends, re- 
 store lost property (such as gold, slaves; cattle, and 
 so forth) to its owners, make poor people as rich as 
 Croesus ; indeed there is no feat with which such a 
 spirit is not credited. 
 
 The favourite spring in the island of Zanzibar is 
 called Tschemschem ; it is situated some miles out 
 of the town. A visitor to this miraculous spot would 
 gain the impression that its spirit must be easily con- 
 tented, to judge from the poor quality of the gifts 
 presented. Poor people spend only a small bit of 
 cloth, two inches wide, left dangling about in the 
 wind, or an eggshell. The spirit is also rather partial 
 to all kinds of sweets (Halve), to perfumes, and in- 
 cense ; but to make quite sure of success, the tribute 
 must be paid in blood. 
 
 Tschemschem is visited by many afflicted people, 
 who have vowed to bring some such offering. There 
 is, however, always a cautious proviso attached to 
 these vows — the wish must be granted within a 
 certain stipulated time, otherwise the spirit goes 
 without his offering. If the spirit is not punctual to 
 
204 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 time, tbe promise is cancelled, and there is an end of 
 it. In the reverse case the promise is faithfully 
 kept, often by the relations of those who have died 
 before their vow was fulfilled. 
 
 When quite a child I was frequently taken to one 
 of these sacred springs, and we always had a very 
 pleasant time there. But after I ceased to be called 
 " Kibibi," or little mistress, and had become "Bibi," 
 or a real mistress, and when I was old enough to 
 observe and to think for myself, I only assisted 
 at one more oblation, which was, however, very 
 grand. 
 
 My sister Chadudj, now dead, had been seriously 
 ill for a long time, and her anxious attendants made 
 the vow that she should go to Tschemschem herself 
 to present an offering if she recovered life and health; 
 and when this came about she went to carry out the 
 promise made on her behalf. 
 
 Four weeks before the day appointed invitations 
 were issued to several of her favourite sisters, and 
 preparations on a large scale commenced at the same 
 time. Ten invitations to balls in Europe, all received 
 at once, would not cause such anxiety and expense as 
 this single one to our impending pilgrimage. It was 
 not a case of simply providing dresses for one's self or 
 daughters, but a whole regiment of slaves of both 
 sexes had to be equipped with dresses and jewellery 
 suitable to the wealth of their mistress, not to speak 
 of a great number of donkeys that the occasion would 
 require. Artists and workmen were over head and 
 ears in work; and jewellers, w 7 ho never keep any 
 stock, but make everything to order, had conse- 
 
AN OFFERING AT THE SPRING TSCHEMSCHEM. 205 
 
 quently most to do, besides superintending the 
 polishing up of the gold and silver ornamented 
 harnesses and the weapons of the slaves. A pilgrim- 
 age of this sort is always something of a pageantry — 
 all the riding gear must look beautifully new and 
 resplendent ; no expense is spared, and many an 
 article of jewellery is paid tenfold its value on 
 account of the great demand. 
 
 As early as half-past five on the appointed day, I 
 rode to my sister's house to join her there; the crowd 
 was so great that I despaired ever getting there at 
 all. At last the signal was given to start, and we 
 had a long and brisk ride in the pleasant morning 
 breeze to the spring. 
 
 The spot, at other times so lonely and deserted, 
 had been changed for this day into the most wonder- 
 ful fairy palace. For clays the grand preparations 
 had been going on. The long grass was cut, carpets 
 spread under the big trees, mirrors nailed to their 
 trunks, and every possible comfort provided ; a sump- 
 tuous meal had been prepared the day before. 
 
 Breakfast was taken soon after our arrival in the 
 shade of the magnificent trees. The picture of this 
 scene deeply impressed itself upon my memory ; the 
 gorgeously-attired people, with their costly jewels, 
 gracefully reclining in front of the merrily bubbling 
 spring, and surrounded by the romantic rich vegeta- 
 tion of a tropical wood ; truly it was a picture that no 
 painter's fancy even could devise — indeed, like the 
 enthralling descriptions of "The Arabian Nights." 
 
 Two hours later we prepared to make the offering, 
 the object of our excursion. The spirit of the spring 
 
206 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 was to rejoice this day in the blood of a beautiful, 
 ciioice bull, and in smaller tributes, such as sweet- 
 meats and immense numbers of fresh eggs, dashed to 
 pieces on the water's edge. Two flags were likewise 
 dedicated — a red one, our insignia, and a white one — 
 as a peace-offering. 
 
 Our camping place was only a short distance from 
 the spring, and the whole company rose to assist at 
 the ceremony. Oue of my sister's chamber-women 
 advanced close to the water's edge to make a little 
 speech. She spoke of the severe illness of her mistress, 
 and how the vow had been made in the last ex- 
 tremity. She thanked the kind spirit for its assist- 
 ance in restoring her mistress to health, who had 
 now come in person to present the promised thank- 
 offering. 
 
 The bull was brought forward and killed ; the 
 blood was carefully collected and sprinkled over the 
 spring from ail sides. Musk and ambergris were thrown 
 upon burning charcoal in silver incense pans. The 
 ceremony concluded with some prayers, which were 
 said standing. 
 
 Besides the blood of the immolated animal the 
 invisible spirit received the heart, liver, and a few 
 other parts, which were strewed all round, cut up in 
 small pieces. The remainder ought to have been 
 distributed amongst the poor, for neither the person 
 making the offering, nor any of her relations, are 
 by custom allowed to partake of it. As the spring 
 Tschemschem is, however, too far removed from town, 
 and as there were no poor people to be found in its 
 immediate neighbourhood, an understanding with the 
 
AN OFFERING AT THE SPRING TSCHEMSCHEM. 207 
 
 spirit had been come to when the vow was made, 
 that, to overcome this difficulty, the immolated beast 
 was to be eaten on the spot, and thus it formed part 
 of our afternoon's repast. 
 
 When the company all sat round again to rest, one 
 or the other of our party might be seen to disappear 
 quietly for a while, but no notice was taken thereof, 
 for we knew that the secret visit had been paid to the 
 miraculous spring, and to the discreet and powerful 
 spirit were confided many griefs and afflictions, 
 physical and mental troubles, or, may be, the burden 
 of an unrequited love ; but for all of them its in- 
 tercession was craved. 
 
 The hours up to four o'clock passed away in feast- 
 ing, walking about, playing, resting, and praying. 
 The horses and donkeys were then brought back to be 
 saddled. It generally took above an hour before 
 we were quite ready to start, as one of the bad habits 
 of negroes consists in forgetting the most necessary 
 things at the last moment. 
 
 On our return we stayed at Mnasimodja, or at 
 Ngambo, for prayers, and after dusk we all re-entered 
 the town to .accompany my sister home. The mag- 
 nificence and splendour of this feast formed the main 
 topic of our conversation for many weeks after. 
 
CHAPTEK XXIV. 
 
 DISEASES AND MEDICAL TREATMENT. POSSESSED PEOPLE. 
 
 People in the East grow up without paying any par- 
 ticular attention to their body or their health ; rarely, 
 and then only in cases of severe sickness, nature is 
 aided a little, but the remedies used for this purpose 
 are, as a rule, more than useless. 
 
 The detestable practice of cupping plays a great- 
 part, and only the very smallest children are spared 
 this torment. Letting blood is considered the uni- 
 versal remedy for all kinds of ailings — it is made use 
 of alike in attacks of cholera and small-pox, or in 
 any other case of suffering. It is also employed as a 
 preventive remedy, for people in perfectly good health 
 have themselves cupped once a year at least, as was 
 the custom in Europe formerly. 
 
 In the upper ranks bleeding takes the place of cup- 
 ping, but no particular precaution is ever observed in 
 this practice. I once had a great fright in one of the 
 dark passages at Bet il Mtoni, seeing one of my sisters 
 being carried past quite motionless, and looking as if 
 she were dead. My screams alarmed the whole house, 
 and I would not be calm till they told me that she was 
 not dead, as I had feared, but that she had only fainted 
 
DISEASES AND MEDICAL TREATMENT. 209 
 
 after having been bled too profusely. She recovered 
 very slowly from the critical state into which the 
 careless treatment had thrown her. 
 
 I am not competent to judge whether such profuse 
 issues are, from time to time, beneficial to the health 
 in a hot climate ; I fancy, however, that the manner 
 in which they are practised must be extremely 
 dangerous. 
 
 The kneading of limbs and joints produces a very 
 pleasant effect. I have spoken of this as being done 
 regularly every morning and evening, and of the 
 great proficiency our slaves had acquired in it. In 
 cases of ordinary indisposition, especially indigestion, 
 it is much practised. 
 
 Emetics, prepared of the most nauseous herbs, are 
 frequently taken. It is sometimes next to impossible 
 to swallow these concoctions, the mere smell of which 
 is sufficient to produce the desired effect. 
 
 In cases of severe illness the aid of God is alone 
 invoked, and to this end sentences from the Kuran 
 are considered the best cure. These passages are 
 written by a person, generally admitted as devout, on 
 a white plate, with a solution of saffron. (^This writing 
 is dissolved with water (generally with rosewater), and 
 the whole mixture must be swallowed by the invalid, 
 like a dose of medicine, thrice a day, morning, noon, 
 and night ;j but to do any good, not the smallest 
 particle of this sacred liquid must be spilt. (I myself 
 had to take this remedy once for some time during a 
 violent attack of fever. ■> 
 
 In exceptional cases, and if the sick person was a 
 special favourite of our father, a real medical man, 
 
210 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 or a sorcerer, was admitted to the bedside. My sister 
 Cliole once suffered severely from pains in the ear, 
 which would not get better, in spite of all the 
 quackeries employed. At last it was thought advisable 
 to call in a Persian doctor (hakim), very famous at 
 the time. I was quite a child then, and was per- 
 mitted to stay in the room while he was consulted. 
 Chole was wrapped up so completely in a schele that 
 nothing of her whole body was visible but the ear. 
 My father stood on the right, and my brother Chalid 
 on the left of the couch on which she was seated, and 
 my other brothers formed a circle round her, all of 
 them fully armed. The doctor was conducted into 
 the sick room by a number of eunuchs, while others 
 were placed as guards at different parts of the house, 
 to give the female residents the signal to retire on the 
 approach of the Persian. The hakim, of course, was 
 not allowed to speak to the sick, but his inquiries had 
 to be addressed to my father or to my brothers, who 
 also replied. 
 
 When I was down with typhoid fever, at a later 
 period, and had been raving for some days, my aunt 
 Asche, my father's sister, resolved at last to call in a 
 European doctor, as none of our Arab or Suahely 
 remedies would answer. My father's death having 
 made me personally independent, the ceremonial just 
 described was no longer needed. The doctor, who was 
 well acquainted with Arab customs, insisted upon 
 being allowed to feel my pulse, which demand was 
 granted by my aunt after long consideration. A 
 number of eunuchs had, however, been put in requi- 
 sition, and I was completely covered by my schele, 
 
DISEASES AND MEDICAL TREATMENT. 211 
 
 although quite unconscious of what was going on 
 around me, and was only told afterwards by my aunt. 
 But when the. doctor required to see my tongue, 
 Djohar, the chief of the eunuchs, aghast with horror, 
 flatly refused this unheard-of demand, so that the 
 doctor withdrew quite furious, without having pre- 
 scribed anything. 
 
 Such panacea are, of course, only made use of in 
 countries where the deepest ignorance prevails of the 
 human frame, as well as of its functions, and the 
 ailments to which it is subjected. . The Arab is per- 
 fectly ignorant of all these, and quite unable to dis- 
 tinguish one case of sickness from another. He 
 divides all inner complaints into two classes — pains in 
 the stomach and pains in the head. No matter which 
 be the internal organs affected, the disease goes always 
 by the same name ; and every complaint that affects 
 the head, up to softening of the brain and sunstroke, 
 is called headache. But as to the origin of all these, 
 the Arab remains in utter darkness, and when all the 
 home cures have been tried and have failed, a eunuch 
 is perhaps sent to one of the consular doctors to ask 
 for .some medicament. A medical man who can, 
 however, not see the sick person, and who obtains 
 only the vaguest information about the disease itself, 
 labours rather under a disadvantage. Consequently, 
 the sufferer often gets a wrong medicine, or an innocu- 
 ous one at the best. 
 
 No one knows what is meant by observing a certain 
 diet. A person attacked with cholera, typhus, or 
 small-pox is allowed to eat whatever he chooses, or 
 what he can get. Nature is supposed to be proof 
 
212 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 against anything, and with the belief in predestination, 
 the Muslim does not even guard against the danger of 
 contagion ; people taken with sinall-pox, for instance, 
 are never isolated. Needless to say, that with such 
 rampant ignorance precautionary measures can 
 never be effected, and that all attempts to confine 
 cholera epidemics, or to set a strict watch over the 
 great caravans of pilgrims, have so far failed. 
 
 I wish to say a few words more about some kinds 
 of diseases. Small-pox, unfortunately, rules perma- 
 nently in Zanzibar, and kills off many thousands. The 
 person attacked is rubbed all over with an ointment 
 of Djiso (curcumac), and placed in the sun ; in some 
 cases the skin is saturated with cocoanut-milk, which 
 is preferable to Djiso. The only other means to ease 
 the invalid consists in removing him from his bed to 
 a soft mat, or by placing him upon a large plantain 
 leaf. Internal remedies are not given, and, above all, 
 care is taken that no water comes near him. 
 
 Cases of consumption, especially of a rapid nature, 
 are frequent, but they are taken no notice of, nor is 
 any treatment of the disease known. Yet, of all, it 
 is the most feared ; it is thought to be contagious, 
 and not unjustly so, as many European physicians 
 assert. Any one suffering from consumption is almost 
 an outcast ; nobody likes to occupy the seat just left 
 by such an one, or touch hi3 hand, much less drink 
 out of the same cup with a consumptive person. One 
 of my stepmothers, a young and very beautiful woman, 
 was very ill with consumption, but to the last she was 
 able to leave her bed and visit her friends. Though 
 still quite a child, I could plainly perceive how un- 
 
DISEASES AND MEDICAL TREATMENT. 213 
 
 welcome she was to all. I felt very sorry for her, and 
 used secretly to go and he of some use to her when 
 she could leave her couch no more : she had only one 
 little hoy, and no daughter to tend her. 
 
 Many of my dear relations have succumbed to this 
 malignant disease, and the majority of them at an 
 early age. The property left by consumptive people 
 is treated with the greatest precaution ; their dresses 
 and bedding are carefully washed in the sea, gold and 
 silver objects even are put through a process of firing 
 to guard against contagion. 
 
 Hooping cough is as frequent with us as it is in this 
 country. The children are given large quantities of 
 " dew-water " to drink, which is collected in the morn- 
 ing from the giant leaves of the plantain. A remedy, 
 founded on superstitious belief, is likewise used. A 
 number of round pieces, of the size of a shilling, are 
 cut from the dried skin of a kind of pumpkin, called 
 hawashi, and these pieces are suspended round the 
 child's neck. 
 
 Sores and boils are very common and very painful. 
 They are covered up with the skin of onion and with 
 dough. 
 
 The simple home remedies are all tried in turns, 
 but medical aid and treatment — never, in the absence 
 of which it can hardly be a matter of surprise that 
 people trust in the miraculous instead, and address 
 themselves for help to fortune-tellers. These Basarin, 
 as they are called, are consequently in great request, 
 and do a thriving business. We generally consulted, 
 in cases of sickness, an old, one-eyed woman from 
 Hadramot, who was a "Schihrie." Her magic imple- 
 
214 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 ments consisted in a dirty bag, containing a variety 
 of things, such as small shells, sea-pebbles, bleached 
 bones, quantities of broken bits of glass and china, 
 rusty old nails, bent copper and silver coins, and so 
 forth. When she was wanted to answer a question, 
 she prayed first for aid from above for a revelation of 
 the truth, after which, she opened her bag, mixed its 
 contents well, and then emptied them out. Her 
 answer was always regulated by the position of the 
 articles she had thrown out of her bag, and then she 
 stated whether the sick person would get better or 
 not, &c. Chance appeared to favour this Basara a 
 great deal more than any of the other fortune-tellers ; 
 frequently her predictions proved true, and she made 
 a good thing out of it, for in these cases she was re- 
 warded by large presents, quite out of proportion with 
 the small preliminary fee. 
 
 External hurts are of course cured more easily than 
 inner diseases. To stop bleeding tinder is generally 
 used ; though broken bones are cases of a more 
 dangerous nature. I broke a forearm once, falling 
 downstairs ; my aunt and my brother Bargasch at 
 once bandaged the broken limb, but unfortunately 
 they did not understand setting the bone properly, so 
 I have a somewhat crooked arm in consequence to 
 this day. 
 
 I have not yet touched upon a very important subject 
 — the devil ! It is well known that in the East nearly 
 everybody believes in the devil, and that he prefers 
 taking up his residence with human beings. I do not 
 remember a single child with us, that had not been 
 possessed of the devil once, at least. A new-born 
 
DISEASES AND MEDICAL TREATMENT. 215 
 
 child, that is more restless and more inclined to cry 
 than is usual, -must surely be possessed, and the 
 exorcising of the evil spirit. is at once set on foot. 
 Little onions and bits of garlic are strung like pearls 
 and suspended from arms and neck. The remedy is a 
 very simple one, and not quite so foolish as it looks, 
 for if the poor devil has any olfactory nerves, he could 
 hardly withstand such an attack upon them. 
 
 Grown-up people are also frequently possessed — 
 men but rarely, but many women, and of the Abys- 
 sinian women, nearly one-half. Convulsive attacks, 
 want of appetite, and general apathy, the desire to 
 remain shut up in dark rooms, and such propensities, 
 are taken as sure signs. A person, thought to be 
 possessed, is treated with a tremendous amount of 
 respect, or rather — fear ! 
 
 A special examination takes place to find out whether 
 a person be really possessed. For this ceremony a 
 party is invited, of which all the guests must be 
 acknowledged habitations of the evil one. These 
 pitiable victims form a kind of secret society, in which 
 they keep their movements quite dark. 
 
 The newly attacked woman sits down in a dark room, 
 wrapped so completely in her schele, that she cannot 
 be touched by the slightest ray of light. She is then, 
 in the true sense of the word, smoked out, a vase con- 
 taining strong incense being held close to her nostrils. 
 The company round her begin to sing a strange song, 
 wagging their heads all the time to and fro. Some 
 Abyssinian concoction, composed of corn and dates, 
 which tastes rather pleasant, is a beverage necessary 
 for the occasion. I have been told that all these com- 
 
216 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 bined influences put the victim into a state of second 
 sight ; she first talks incoherently, until at last she 
 raves with foam at the mouth. Then is the time that 
 the spirit has taken possession of her. The company 
 present enter into conversation with this spirit, and 
 request to be informed what it wants ; for it must be 
 understood that the sick are not plagued by evil spirits 
 alone — there are also good spirits, that may have 
 taken a special fancy to a person, wishing to protect 
 her in life. Sometimes it occurs that two spirits, a 
 good and a bad one, contest for the same person, and 
 during this exorcism they are sure to manifest them- 
 selves. It is said that frightful scenes sometimes 
 ensue on such occasions, which none but the very 
 bravest can face out. 
 
 Frequently an expert woman will drive out an evil 
 spirit ; with a good one a kind of agreement is made, 
 allowing it to pay visits to its victim at times, when it 
 would be well received, on condition that it predicts 
 what may befall the possessed one, as well as her 
 relations. 
 
 Possessed people are in the habit of drinking the 
 blood of immolated animals, such as fowls and goats ; 
 they devour eggs and meat raw. Of course the poor 
 people who have undergone such an examination 
 suffer from its effects for many a day afterwards. 
 
 In these cases I was also able to observe how fast a 
 bad example is followed by others. In spite of the 
 superstitious views of all Mahometans, the Oman 
 people are far from believing in all the nonsense I 
 have just described. When they come to Africa, they 
 look upon everything at first as only fit for negroes, 
 
DISEASES AND MEDICAL TUEATMExNTT. 217 
 
 and would wish to return borne at once. After a 
 short stay, however, they are more susceptible and 
 credulous than all the rest put together. 
 
 But enough of this melancholy subject ! 
 
 In conclusion, I should like to ask if it would not 
 be more humane to import female physicians into 
 Zanzibar instead of those horribly demoralizing 
 spirituous liquors ? Must corruption always precede 
 civilization ? There is a great opening here for 
 Christian charity, that would bear fruit hundredfold, 
 without any great obstacles in the way. For my part 
 I am perfectly willing, in case a society undertake to 
 send out a qualified person, to instruct the same in 
 Arabic and Suahely ; this is the least service I can do 
 my dear native home. But it must be a female 
 physician ; she will be able to do more good in the 
 East than ten medical men combined. A kind woman 
 with pleasing manners would be received with open 
 arms by all Eastern ladies. She would not only find 
 herself well rewarded, but soon acknowledge herself 
 that she is doing a good and charitable deed. 
 
 15 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 SLAVERY. 
 
 This chapter treats of one of the most conflicting 
 subjects of the day. I am perfectly aware that I 
 shall not make any friends by the opinions I hold, 
 but nevertheless consider it my duty to state them 
 frankly. I have met everywhere with a great deal 
 of ignorance in regard to this question, and even 
 those people who are more intimately acquainted 
 with it frequently overlook the fact that it is not 
 called into existence solely and purely by the humane 
 efforts on the part of Europeans, but that political 
 interests are often a secret incentive. 
 
 I was still a child at the expiration of the term 
 after which, as convened between my father and 
 Great Britain, the slaves of all British subjects 
 in Zanzibar, the Hindoos and Banyans, were to be 
 set free. These were hard times for the owners, who 
 complained bitterly ; many of the upper classes sent 
 their wives and daughters to entreat our intercession, 
 which, of course, w T as utterly outside our power. Some 
 of them had a hundred or more slaves on their 
 estates ; all these received their liberty on one day, 
 which caused the ruin of their owners. The latter 
 could procure no men to work their plantations, and 
 
SLAVERY. 219 
 
 consequently they could get no revenues from them ; 
 besides which, our beautiful island had the ques- 
 tionable good fortune of suddenly finding itself saddled 
 with a few thousand idlers, vagabonds, and thieves. 
 These great children thus set free enjoyed their liberty 
 as a release from their bondage, and its inflicted duties, 
 but what was their physical condition in life on waking 
 from their short dream of happiness ? They found 
 themselves for the first time in their lives thrown 
 upon their own resources, homeless, and utterly 
 without means of maintenance. The apostles of the 
 anti-slavery unions, after fighting hysterically for the 
 liberty and rights of citizenship for the slave classes, 
 disappeared on having gained their point, making 
 no more provision for their 'proteges than if they had 
 been lilies of the field, except in so far — and probably 
 to complete the grim farce — that their ladies at home 
 sent woollen socks for the lilies on the burning soil 
 of Africa. Everybody who has lived in the United 
 States, Brazil, or any country where there are negroes, 
 will corroborate the fact that, apart from many good 
 qualities, the black race cannot be induced to work, 
 but only forced. 
 
 As I said, only British subjects were henceforth for- 
 bidden to keep slaves. The English could not inter- 
 fere with the laws and customs of our country, and 
 slavery exists to this day in Zanzibar as well as in 
 all Mahometan States of the East. One must, how- 
 ever, be careful not to judge slavery in the East by 
 the same standard that is applied to slavery in the 
 United States or in the Brazils. The slave of a 
 Muslim is in quite a different and far superior position. 
 
220 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 The worst features of this institution are the slave 
 trade and the transport of these poor people from the 
 interior of the continent to the coast. Great numbers 
 perish of fatigue and of hunger and thirst, but all this 
 is shared also by their leader. It is absurd to suppose 
 that the slave traders cause these great hardships 
 and privations on purpose ; their own advantage 
 requires to bring out the people in the best possible 
 condition, as they have often invested their whole 
 fortune in such an enterprise. 
 
 Once arrived, the slaves are for the most part well 
 cared for. They have of course to work for their 
 masters without wages, but they have no care them- 
 selves, and their welfare is always studiously looked 
 after. Is every non-Christian of necessity a creature 
 without a heart ? 
 
 The negro, above all, is fond of his ease — works only 
 when he is compelled to, and then requires the 
 strictest control even for the little work he is required 
 to do in our parts. Neither are they an easy family 
 to rear and keep, for there are a great many thieves, 
 drunkards, deserters, and incendiaries among them. 
 What is to be done with these ? To overlook their 
 sins would be to encourage them in their practice. 
 Imprisonment they would not resent, but on the con- 
 trary, court it, and revel in their cool retreat, eating, 
 drinking, and dreaming their time away. 
 
 Under these circumstances there is only one ex- 
 pedient — corporal punishment. A great outcry is 
 raised about this in Europe, especially by those who 
 are more richly possessed of well-sounding theories 
 than of practical knowledge and insight. 
 
SLAVERY. 221 
 
 Cruelty and despotism is justly condemned every- 
 where, may its victim be a poor negro or a civilized 
 person languishing in a Siberian mine. But all 
 things must be fairly considered, nor is every in- 
 stitution alike justifiable or applicable. With Eastern 
 nations slavery is a very ancient institution. I 
 doubt if it could ever be completely abolished, and 
 in any case it is folly to attempt sweeping away old 
 customs in a bluster of enthusiasm. Every good 
 thing must take its time, and be confronted with good 
 examples. There are a good many Europeans in the 
 East who keep slaves themselves, and who buy them 
 if they find it in their interest to do so. Such things 
 are, of course, not reported home, or they are excused 
 on the plea that they have been done " in the in- 
 terests of science." Science must serve as a pretence 
 to many an evil. The morality, however, remains 
 the same, whether the Arab puts his slaves to field 
 or domestic work, or whether they be employed as 
 carriers and porters by Europeans, the latter being 
 much harder and more trying work. Nor are these 
 European slave-keepers always humane enough to 
 set the slaves they have bought free when they require 
 them no longer, as the Arabs often do ; they simply 
 resell them. The Mahometan population of Zanzibar 
 were greatly incensed on one occasion against an 
 Englishman who, before returning to Europe, secretly 
 sold his woman-slave to an Arab official. 
 
 With one or two more such cases of inconsistency 
 on the part of Europeans that I could quote it is not 
 surprising if Arabs look on their civilized visitors 
 with an eye of suspicion, and wish back those happy 
 
222 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 times when they had nothing to fear from their sub- 
 verting ideas. They have taken it into their headsthat 
 the object of suppressing slavery was solely to work 
 the slowruin of their nation, and ultimately of their God. 
 
 If people really think that slavery can be abolished 
 by degrees, and that other important changes can be 
 effected beyond that, then the greatest caution will 
 be necessary, and slow advancement step by step. 
 The negroes must first be trained to think and to 
 work, and their masters must be taught in an intuitive 
 manner, and in a form admitting of no doubt as to 
 its disinterested motives, that by employing good 
 agricultural implements and machinery they could 
 easily do without those hundreds of slaves which are 
 now required to cultivate their lands. The i\.rab must 
 be brought to understand that there is no intention 
 to ruin him, and that he is to be treated and weighed 
 in the same balance as the negro. 
 
 In my opinion it would have been more judicious 
 to adopt the slow and sure course, than ostentatiously 
 to build a church on the slave market, for which there 
 was no need, as two existed already, one Catholic and 
 the other Protestant, and both with very meagre con- 
 gregations. That this must have been offensive to 
 Eastern people will easily be understood by those 
 who know a little about things there. The Arab, like 
 all Eastern races, is conservative by nature, and 
 adheres with great tenacity to his traditions. He 
 must not be hurried into innovations which appear 
 to him impossible and incomprehensible. His objec- 
 tions are peremptorily put down to Mahometan fana- 
 ticism and religious intolerance. But the following 
 
SLAVEEY. 223 
 
 may show that this intolerance is by no means so 
 great as it is described. When I revisited Zanzi- 
 bar after a nineteen years' absence all came to 
 meet me with the greatest friendliness — the people 
 even left the mosques to welcome me and to wish me 
 all blessings ; and if my countrymen had really been 
 the religious fanatics they are reported to be, I, as a 
 renegade, would have deserved and roused their in- 
 dignation much more than a born Christian. It is 
 therefore not intolerance which governs them, but a 
 sense of self-preservation, increased and intensified 
 by the fact that their most vital interests and rights 
 are encroached upon by reckless, high-handed inno- 
 vators, and often by utterly worthless, inefficient re- 
 presentatives of civilization and Christianity. 
 
 The negro, however, is at present still very indif- 
 ferent to religious matters, and certainly such is the 
 case in Zanzibar with the greater part of the black 
 race. Many become Christians merely from selfish 
 motives. An English missionary who has worked for 
 many years at Membase (Mombas, a little island to 
 the north of Zanzibar) complained to me once that 
 the number of his converts had always risen and 
 fallen with the duration of the supplies he received 
 from England. Hence I regret that, before fami- 
 liarizing the negro with higher doctrines, his religious 
 sense must first be awakened and nursed with an 
 untiring care ! For this reason many of those brave 
 men may have failed after risking their strength, 
 their health, and their lives even in the attempt to 
 deepen the shallow level of the negro soul, and then 
 to lift his race into culture and Christianity. 
 
224 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 The objection might be raised against me that I 
 am not a fair judge on the slave question ; that, 
 having grown up with Eastern views, I am unable 
 now to release myself from them or weigh the mattsr 
 calmly. In vindication of which I here produce as 
 momentous evidence the views of some ultra-Euro- 
 peans on this subject. 
 
 The African traveller, P. Eeichard, wrote in 1881 
 from Gonda : 
 
 "In the night of the 12th of October, I was aroused 
 by the shrieks of a woman who asked for admit- 
 tance. I sent Askart to discover the reason of this 
 noise, and was told she wanted to get into my place, 
 having quarrelled with her husband, and smashed 
 some object of value, that she might, by the custom 
 of the country, become our slave. Three similar cases 
 happened to a native Arab within a short time, who, 
 however, obtained compensation, and it is by no 
 means an uncommon occurrence for a free man, dis- 
 satisfied with his position, again to become a slave in 
 this way. This is a clear and distinct proof of the 
 exaggeration and one-sidedness of many of the reports 
 on slavery, which depict their condition in dark, 
 and I might say, non-existing, colours. . . . 
 
 " The position of a slave once settled down, is by no 
 means worse, at least as good, and frequently much 
 better, than in his own country. The tribes south of the 
 Tanganika, for instance, are governed by very cruel 
 sultans, and slaves coming from that place to this 
 would on no account go back again. 
 
 "The slave of the Arab is not at all overburdened 
 
SLAVERY. 225 
 
 with work, and criminals alone are condemned to cor- 
 poral punishment j greater severity than that which 
 exists would necessitate many more overseers, and 
 an enormous additional expense. Moreover, the 
 slaves of Arabs are generally set free after having 
 served faithfully ten to fifteen years. 
 
 " Slaves owned by natives are considered as mem- 
 bers of the family, and enjoy their own free will. 
 They are not punished even when they show their 
 masters open defiance — as, for instance, going down 
 to the sea-shore and hiring themselves out as 
 pagasi (porters)." 
 
 An Englishman, Mr. Joseph Thompson, says in his 
 book, " Expedition to the Lakes of Central Africa" : 
 
 " All classes of society showa cheerfulness and happi- 
 ness, which would appear uncommon everywhere, but 
 this is an ideal land, where four shillings and sixpence 
 suffice all day to live in plenty. Half-starved or ill- 
 treated slaves are nowhere to be seen ; for as soon as 
 any cases of barbarous treatment come to the know- 
 ledge of the' sultan (of Zanzibar) the sufferers are at 
 once set free, and protected against the cruelty of their 
 masters. It would seem, indeed, as if this class here 
 is in a particularly comfortable position, and enjoys 
 ten times more liberty than thousands of our clerks 
 and shop girls." 
 
 Another Englishman, who had lived long in the 
 East, and who knew the state of things there well, 
 once expressed himself to me in a shorter and more 
 
226 
 
 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 drastic term; lie simply called the anti- slavery 
 movement, with its countless meetings, " bosh." 
 
 In conclusion, I should like to call attention to one 
 more fact. Gordon, who at one time was one of the 
 greatest adversaries to slavery and the slave trade, 
 began his second short government of the Soudan by 
 abolishing his former laws. He may not have been 
 convinced of the necessity of slavery in Africa, but 
 he may have been sensible of the necessity not to 
 suppress at one stroke an institution so deeply rooted, 
 but to gradually mitigate its effects before abolishing 
 it completely. 
 
CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 
 
 Since my father's death I had lived with my mother 
 and Chole at Bet il Tani, happy in their friendship 
 and love, for about three years, when suddenly a fear- 
 ful cholera epidemic spread over the town and the 
 whole island, and snatched away many people in our 
 house. It was during the hottest season, and finding 
 it impossible to get any rest in bed, I had one night 
 got a soft mat spread out on the floor to lie down 
 upon, but was not a little shocked, upon waking in the 
 morning, to find my dearly beloved mother writhing 
 with pain at my feet. To my anxious questions she 
 replied that she had been there half the night already, 
 and that feeling herself attacked by cholera, she 
 wished to die near me at least, if it was so decreed. 
 I was well-nigh distracted at seeing my dear mother 
 suffer from the malignant disease without being able| 
 to help her. For two days longer she withstood its 
 attacks, then she was taken from me for ever. 
 
 My grief was boundless, and without heeding the 
 warnings of my friends, who were afraid I might 
 catch the disease, I clung frantically to the dear body. 
 My only desire was to leave this world together with 
 
228 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 my mother, but God willed that I should be spared, 
 and to His will I at last found strength to resign 
 myself. 
 
 I was now barely fifteen years old, an orphan, a 
 ship without a rudder tossing in the sea. My mother's 
 prudence and good sense had always guided me, and 
 now I was all of a sudden to take upon myself the 
 duties of a grown-up person, and the responsibilities, 
 not only of myself, but also of the welfare of my 
 servants. When I came to a clear understanding of 
 my position, God helped me to do my duty and to 
 manage my affairs without the assistance of others. 
 Nevertheless, trials did come, and I succumbed to 
 them, for, without knowing myself how it had been 
 brought about, I found myself drawn suddenly into a 
 conspiracy against my noble brother Madjid ! 
 
 It was just as if my father's death had been the 
 signal for general discord amongst us, instead of 
 uniting us more, as it ought to have done. It certainly 
 may be difficult to maintain perfect concord and 
 unanimity amongst thirty-six brothers and sisters, 
 and thus we divided into groups of threes and fours, 
 according as affection drew us together. Our position 
 was quite incomprehensible to strangers, and even our 
 friends became, quite against their wills, involved in 
 our feuds. A loyal friend of my brother's, or a true 
 friend of my sister's, must needs become my most 
 bitter enemy — unless these belonged to my special 
 circle — whatever their personal feelings toward myself 
 might be. Such utter disunion could of course only 
 end in disaster. Still, with hot passion we pursued 
 each other blindly, and hated without a cause. 
 
MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 229 
 
 We soon ceased to have any personal intercourse 
 •with our belongings, but instead kept numerous spies, 
 who took care to widen the gulf by informing us 
 secretly of every word said, and every project made by 
 our adversaries. These worthy persons always made 
 their appearance at night to receive their reward, 
 which varied according to the gravity of the news they 
 had to report. Gold coins had never slipped so fast 
 through our lingers before ; frequently we did not 
 even count them, but took a handful of gold from 
 our kis (pocket) in acknowledgment of some daring 
 and successful deed. Sometimes we were roused at 
 night by a muffled person demanding to be admitted 
 by the gate-keeper — and such nightly visits not only 
 lightened our purses considerably, but often kept us 
 from going to sleep again if the messenger had com- 
 municated some particularly perturbing news. Indeed, 
 (Ve seemed to be, one and all of us, labouring under 
 some sudden attack of madness, and no pains were 
 spared when w r e could annoy or thwart an antago- 
 nist. If one seemed inclined to buy a line horse, a 
 house, or an estate, his opponents promptly out-bid 
 him four and six times beyond the value, to the great 
 satisfaction of the owners. If one sister appeared 
 with a new article of jewellery, the jew 7 eller was sure 
 to receive orders from all sides for one just like it, 
 or a still more beautiful one. The people soon found 
 this out, and merchants and workmen rapidly learnt 
 how to turn our discord to their advantage. 
 
 Mad j id and Chole had been on very good terms up 
 to this time, at which I was delighted, for I was very 
 fond of both ; after my mother's death they had 
 
230 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 treated me like a child of their own. But the good 
 relations between them began gradually to get cooler 
 on account of my brother Bargasch, and this ended 
 finally in a complete rupture. I was always strongly 
 attached to Chole, but in truth I am bound to state 
 that the fault was hers and not Madjid's. I cannot 
 here give an account of all the circumstances which 
 preceded this rupture, only that we were all, as it 
 were, completely blinded and maddened. 
 
 It was a period of great, conflict for me. I lived in 
 one house with Chole ; we took our meals together and 
 were hardly apart all day. Without any reason, she 
 commenced to avoid Madjid,and ended by wishing him 
 every possible evil. At first, I hoped to be able to 
 remain neutral, and I even ventured to take my 
 brother's part, whose only guilt was his being sultan 
 instead of Bargasch. But passion knows no justice, 
 and Chole continued to nurse her grudge. 
 
 I was thus placed for some months between two 
 fires — I wished to act for the best and could do 
 nothing — I hesitated to choose between the two per- 
 sons equally dear to me ; and when I could not longer 
 put off my decision, I sided with Chole, whoni, though 
 in the wrong, I cherished most, and who by degrees 
 ruled me completely. Is there anything we can deny 
 those we fondly love. What avails our faint inner voice 
 — justice — when love cries aloud ? For their sake we 
 abandon our views, our principles, our most sacred 
 convictions — as a tree loses its withered leaves in 
 autumn, without its sound trunk being able to help it. 
 
 •Madjid, a thoroughly noble-minded man, possessed 
 the love of all his people. He was, however, of weak 
 
MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 231 
 
 health, unable to act always for himself, and for this 
 reason he had to leave a good deal to his ministers. 
 One of these, Slernan bin Ali, unfortunately had the 
 knack of making himself indispensable to his master. 
 He was a crafty, selfish man, who gradually contrived 
 to get all the power into his hands, and to reduce the 
 other ministers to mere ciphers ; he even carried his 
 presumption so far as to act the master whenever a 
 favourable opportunity presented itself. And yet with 
 the dignity he arrogated, he was far from having 
 attained those years which every Arab holds in respect 
 and deference, or from possessing sufficient discretion 
 to disguise his dandyism and libertinism. In his 
 unbounded ambition, he sued for the hand of one of 
 my stepmothers, a Circassian named Fatme, who was 
 old enough to be his mother ; she was foolish enough 
 to accept him, but lived to regret this bitterly. 
 Sleman's only object had of course been to get her 
 large fortune into his hands. 
 
 This evil spirit gained a great influence over Madjid, 
 and in secret he managed to incite all brothers and 
 sisters one against the other in order to increase his 
 own power. He succeeded too well in his plots every- 
 where ; quarrel upon quarrel took place in our family, 
 many notables were insulted and neglected, and things 
 grew gradually so bad that the people began to mur- 
 mur and complain aloud. 
 
 Fortunately, there was one brave and honest man 
 at least among the ministers, who did all he could to 
 w r eaken the effects of Sleman's actions, and to redress 
 them. This man was Mhamed bin Abd Allah il 
 Shaksi, a very rich and also a very generous and 
 
232 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 noble-minded man, who would never have committed 
 a mean or selfish deed himself. As a matter of course, 
 he was by no means on good terms with his colleague. 
 
 My brother Bargasch next endeavoured to tuna 
 the discord between the brothers and sisters, and the 
 discontent of part of the people, to his profit. Madjid 
 had only one daughter and no son, Bargasch was 
 therefore the next successor to the throne, and had 
 generally been regarded as the heir-presumptive since 
 my father's death. That two elder brothers, Turki 
 and Mhammed, were still living in Oman, was not 
 taken into account at all, for Oman was such a long 
 way off ! 
 
 In the East, the heirs-presumptive to a throne are 
 always in a hurry to possess themselves of it — they 
 endeavour to forget the fact that others may have a 
 better title, and speedily overcome all scruples about 
 justice and honour. 
 
 This was the case with Bargasch. He had failed 
 in usurping the power at my father's death, but had 
 never abandoned his plans. He began more seriously 
 to think of carrying them into effect after having 
 removed with his sister Meje from Bet il Mtoni to the 
 town. They resided in a house opposite to the one in 
 which Chole and myself lived, and which had once 
 been used as a residence for the cavaliers of the 
 Princess Schevade of Persia. 
 
 Now began a time of great excitement to all of us. 
 I, as a sister, cannot well recount all that occurred, 
 although there are certain acts which almost defy 
 silence. But even the harshness with which he con- 
 tinues to treat me, cannot induce me to lift the veil, for 
 
MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 233 
 
 I still remember our Arab saying, that " all the sea 
 is not deep enough to wash away blood-relationship." 
 
 Hardly had the brother and sister taken up their 
 residence near us, when a great friendship sprang up 
 between Bargasch and Chole, and the former soon 
 began spending his days with us. Meje took this as 
 a neglect shown to herself, and complaining about it 
 to others, there came a soreness between the two sisters 
 that prevented them looking at each other when they 
 met. Things assumed a more and more uncomfort- 
 able aspect, till finally peace disappeared entirely from 
 our houses. I rejoiced at not being concerned in 
 this new quarrel, but being made the confidant of both 
 angry sisters, I was soon drawn into it against my 
 will. 
 
 Chole did not act rightly with regard to Meje — 
 indeed she was not quite herself all this time. Bar- 
 gasch was her idol, to whom she sacrificed everybody 
 without hesitation, and I, to whom she was all in all, 
 followed her lead in everything. Secretly, I felt a 
 sincere pity for poor Meje, for, in spite of her 
 pride, I could not help admiring her justice and com- 
 mon sense. She alone foresaw that no good would 
 come of this party conspiracy against Madjid, and 
 she never tired of warning us. 
 
 The friendship which my two nieces, Schembua and 
 
 Farschu, had for me was soon extended to Bargasch 
 
 also. They lived just opposite our house, theirs being 
 
 only separated by a narrow lane from that of Bargasch. 
 
 Our three houses formed thus a dangerous centre for 
 
 the conspiracy. 
 
 It became now Bargasch's main object to gain over 
 16 
 
234 MEMOIRS CF AN ARABIAN PRIXCESS. 
 
 a number of notables and chiefs. The Arabs are 
 divided into numberless larger and smaller tribes, 
 each of which has a chief, who is implicitly obeyed. 
 It is of moment, therefore, to each prince to be on 
 good terms, either openly or in secret, with one or 
 more such chiefs, to make sure of their aid in 
 case of need. They are, of course, always promised 
 some prospective post of importance or some other 
 advantageous remuneration. No tribe will ever desert 
 its chief, for their attachment is proof against 
 every temptation. Those who can write never omit 
 to sign the name of their tribe ; we, for instance, 
 belong to the " Lebu Saidi," a small but brave tribe, 
 and I have always to append this in signing m}^ name 
 in full. 
 
 Bargasch gained over several of these chiefs, and 
 by degrees they formed quite a small court round him, 
 which caused a good deal of stir in the island ; and 
 by and by it transpired that the majority of his sup- 
 porters were people of bad repute, men known to be 
 turbulent and reckless, from whom he ought to have 
 kept aloof altogether, but who were about his person 
 night and day. And no wonder either — for what 
 upright, honest man could have joined his conspiracy. 
 
 As the number of these bad and doubtful characters 
 who gathered round him increased, and as soon as we 
 clearly realized the true bent of his plans, all those 
 withdrew from him who had more the interests of our 
 family at heart than his wild projects. Their places 
 were, however, soon filled again by a class of men 
 that seem ever ready to grow out of the ground with 
 the noble and self-imposed task of fighting the cause 
 
my mother's death, a palace revolution. 235 
 
 of the oppressed — whilst at the same time dealing a 
 blow at a long-cherished personal grievance. Dozens 
 of these malcontents considered themselves already 
 his future ministers or the happy possessors of other 
 high appointments, or of fortunes that could in no 
 otherwise have fallen to their lot, except by a baneful 
 violation of the laws of merit. Characters of this 
 sort arrived from all parts to join the conspirators, 
 apparently with the desire to serve Bargasch, in 
 reality to serve themselves. The most desperate were 
 not only received, but hailed with joy ! 
 
 After having gathered together a sufficiently large 
 number of such partizans, the details of the projected 
 rising were more minutely considered. The plan con- 
 ceived was to seize Macljid unawares and to proclaim 
 Bargasch Sultan. Preparations for open fight had to 
 be made, meetings were held upon meetings, always 
 presided over by Bargasch himself, to gain over one 
 or the other chief. They always took place at night, 
 sometimes towards morning, when the moon had gone 
 down. A state of feverish excitement and deep mis- 
 trust towards everybody had taken hold of us all ; we 
 were always in fear of being observed or espied, and 
 frequently did domestic duties ourselves, only to keep 
 our servants out of earshot of our dark designs, and 
 visiting was long since at an end. 
 
 Bargasch became more excited every day. Hitherto 
 he had regularly attended, like the other princes, all 
 the audiences presided over by Macljid ; now, however, 
 he began to neglect them, and to appear only once 
 a week, until he finally remained away altogether. 
 This with us is considered a sign of great discontent, 
 
236 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 and a subject keeping ostentatiously aloof lays himself 
 open to punishment. There could be no longer any 
 doubt now about his hostile projects, which many 
 would not give credit to previously. His quick temper 
 made him behave very imprudently, for he roused the 
 suspicion of his adversaries, and in consequence the 
 attempt at a sudden surprisal had to be abandoned. 
 
 In secret Macljid endeavoured once more to show 
 me the error of my ways before it was too late. As 
 he could not come to Bet il Tani himself under the 
 circumstances, and as I had not been to his house for 
 a long time, he sent one of my most favourite step- 
 mothers to beg me in his name not to take part in 
 the intrigues of his enemies, or to allow myself to be 
 seduced by them ; that I could never expect any thanks 
 in that quarter, but would be sure to repent my 
 adherence to the bad cause. I was also told that in 
 that case I must take upon myself all the consequences 
 of my actions, as he would be unable to make any 
 exception on my behalf or to protect me if a bombard- 
 ment of the house in our neighbourhood was to take 
 place afterwards. 
 
 My noble brother's warning arrived too late. I had 
 already plighted my word to Chole and to Bargasch, 
 and considered it my sacred duty to keep and fulfil 
 my promise. My stepmother left me in deep sorrow, 
 weeping bitterly ; she had meant well, and had at a 
 later date the sad satisfaction of recalling to my 
 memory the justice of Madjid's prediction. To escape 
 the risk of being distrusted or called a mother of two 
 faces* for any supposed double dealing, I thought it best 
 
 * A byword given in our country to false women. 
 
MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 237 
 
 to avoid all further intercourse with Madjid, and to 
 devote myself entirely to the cause of the conspiracy. 
 
 It would have been easy for Madjid at this time to 
 have had his badly-advised brother and his adherents 
 arrested, now that there were so much stronger 
 grounds for suspicion, and to imprison them all in 
 some fortress until they had repented them of their 
 ways. But it was not in his nature to be severe, and 
 he could not be brought to take such a measure ; he 
 still hoped to see his brother turn back, seeing that no 
 other reason for enmity existed between them, and 
 fearing that a premature punishment might sever 
 them for ever. Above all, he was desirous to spare us 
 four women, mixed up in this affair, at all hazards. 
 
 Thus for a long time Madjid shut his eyes ; but 
 when whole crowds of men, muffled in their " Barnus" 
 besieged the doors of Bargasch's house, the Govern- 
 ment at last decided to have our houses watched. By 
 this measure however little was gained, for the 
 watchers were Bluchcs, soldiers enlisted in Beluchis- 
 tan, who were greatly attached to our dynasty and 
 would rather have run any risk themselves than 
 compromise any of its members. This the wily 
 plotters knew perfectly, and made their arrangements 
 accordingly. We women undertook to carry out the 
 more dangerous missions ourselves, without regard to 
 existing custom. No one ventured to molest us, while 
 others were followed and searched. At times one or 
 the other imprudent person was arrested, but this did 
 no great harm to our proceedings. We were all like so 
 many busy ants, all working hard for the success of 
 our enterprise. Our spies informed us that the 
 
238 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 Government had at last decided to put an end to our 
 doings by either imprisoning all suspicious persons 
 or evicting them from the island. When this news 
 reached us our preparations were not yet completed, 
 so we redoubled our efforts. Quantities of hard cakes 
 were got ready and brought at night to Marseilles, 
 which was to be our head-quarters. 
 
 Although I w T as the youngest female member of the 
 conspiracy, they made me on account of my ability in 
 writing, the secretary, and as such had to do all the 
 correspondence with the chiefs. I was indeed old 
 enough already to have many pangs of remorse, and 
 the thought preyed heavily on my mind that the 
 ammunition and guns I was ordering were intended 
 to cause the death of many innocent people. But 
 what could I do now ? Was I to break my word and 
 forsake my dear sister at the very moment w r hen 
 danger became imminent? It was, indeed, not 
 sympathy with the cause that urged me on, but sheer 
 idolatry for Chole. 
 
 Bargasch, the son of an Abyssiniau woman, is a man 
 of great talent, and he was much superior to us in 
 intelligence and foresight. Proud and imperious in 
 manner, he understood the art of impressing the 
 masses ; but the fact that of all our large family only 
 four female members, and one single brother, Abdil 
 Aziz, who was scarcely twelve years old at the time, 
 and moreover Chole's fosterchild, sided with him, 
 proves unmistakably how little he was generally liked. 
 Since he had caused our father to be buried in secret, 
 and without the customary ceremonies, he fell into 
 universal odium — so that when he began to organize 
 
MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 239 
 
 his conspiracy the true estimation in which he was 
 held by his family came to the surface. I remember 
 encountering upon one of my rare walks one nignt 
 two of my sisters ; they accompanied me to within 
 five, hundred paces of my house and then hurriedly 
 retreated from fear of approaching the neighbourhood 
 of his dwelling. 
 
 We worked on unremittingly in spite of the search- 
 ing watch set over us, and even the meetings were 
 continued under real difficulties. Already the day was 
 fixed for the open rebellion, when suddenly Bargasch's 
 house was surrounded by several hundred soldiers. 
 The time had been chosen when he was sure to be 
 indoors, with strict orders to cut off all communication 
 until its occupants surrendered voluntarily. This 
 change in the aspect of affairs was naturally a great 
 blow, but we kept up our energies nevertheless. 
 
 Of course we expected the same fate to overtake us, 
 and then indeed our cause would have been lost 
 altogether. We afterwards learned that the ministers 
 and the other members of the council had voted for 
 the blockade of all the dangerous houses, but Madjid 
 would not give his consent to this in his desire to 
 spare us women. 
 
 A few minutes after the appearance of the soldiers 
 we six conspirators stood at our windows, two in each 
 house, to take council over the narrow street as to 
 what should be done next. We were almost on the 
 point of breaking down for good, but Bargasch would 
 not listen to anything like submission. 
 
 But a very distressing fact now rose to our minds. 
 Hardly any of the houses in Zanzibar have pumps, so 
 
240 MEMOIRS OP AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 that people collect their water from public wells. 
 Bargasch's establishment had been provided, for pre- 
 caution's sake, with a good supply some days before, 
 but in the hot weather this water could not be used 
 for drinking; at the best it would only do for washing 
 and cooking purposes. Provisions were plenty, and 
 the besieged had a sufficient stock to hold out for 
 weeks ; but water, the one thing most needed in the 
 tropics, was wanting. Under such circumstances it 
 would have been 'impossible to resist for more than 
 two days at the utmost. 
 
 While the men were quite helpless, the inventive # 
 genius of a woman found a way out of this dilemma 
 and saved them from sudden defeat. She proposed 
 to make a canvas hose and to convey water through 
 it to Bargasch's house. The canvas was obtained, a 
 few dozen hands got the hose ready within half an 
 hour, and at dusk the captives could, be refreshed with 
 a deliciously cool drink. We had, of course, to use 
 great caution to escape our watch's observation ; 
 fortunately, guards were placed only at the one door 
 leading to the seashore — and they perhaps willingly 
 shut an eye. 
 
 Hitherto our partizanship, I mean the women's, 
 had been of great use ; but now it devolved solely 
 upon us to carry out the doubtful sequel. It was only 
 through us that Bargasch from his windows was able 
 to remain in communication with his party. Several 
 of the chiefs had been shut up with him, and were 
 placed in a very unpleasant position. As they could 
 not move about the house freely wdiile my sister Meje 
 stayed in it, they had to confine themselves to the 
 
MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 241 
 
 assembly-room on the ground floor. The most influ- 
 ential and energetic chief of the Hurt tribe was 
 however at liberty and able to go on enlisting soldiers. 
 
 Our whole plan had to be changed. It was decided 
 to collect all our followers at Marseilles, the fine 
 estate of my two nieces, and to fortify the place. 
 It was not a bad idea, for Marseilles was already 
 quite a little fortress and could easily shelter several 
 hundred men. All the arms and the ammunition 
 were carried there, the soldiers levied were quartered 
 in its neighbourhood, whence they would exercise their 
 instigations to rebellion over the entire island. As 
 we strained every nerve the plan succeeded within a 
 short time. Common funds for our operations we 
 had none ; we therefore drew upon our private purses, 
 from which every one of us also furnished a number 
 of well-armed slaves. 
 
 When everything had been secretly transported to 
 Marseilles, we took council to wield our final stroke. 
 This was nothing less than setting Bargasch free, to 
 enable him, by restoring the head to the conspiracy, 
 to conduct matters personally from Marseilles. We 
 well knew that the undertaking was one fraught with 
 danger, but fear was far from us : we were resolved to 
 dare all risks. 
 
 Hitherto we had not attempted to pay a visit to our 
 captive brothers and sister, for we had no wish to call 
 any special attention to ourselves, which would have 
 endangered our enterprise, and we were, moreover, 
 afraid of being refused admittance by the guards, a 
 humiliation we were not eager to experience. But 
 nothing venture nothing win ; all hesitation was now 
 
242 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 set aside, and the evening was fixed upon to carry out 
 the abduction, as the only resource now left. 
 
 After dark one night Chole and myself left our 
 house, followed by a large and picked retinue, to be 
 joined by our nieces with theirs, who, as prearranged, 
 had left their home at the same time, and together we 
 proceeded to Bargasch's house. Upon arriving at the 
 door our advanced guard was stopped, but the soldiers 
 had no idea who was to follow ; we could only succeed 
 by undaunted courage. " Chole," I said to my sister, 
 " we will go ourselves to the commanding officer and 
 tell him who we are — surely they will respect us ! " 
 
 This proposal was in violation of all custom, but the 
 situation was too critical to allow of scruples ; our 
 undertaking was altogether out of the common, so we 
 might as well try and forget troublesome points of 
 etiquette ! 
 
 Chole and myself went up to the officers and in 
 impressive language made a thrilling appeal to their 
 manly feelings, which extraordinary and quite un- 
 precedented proceedings had the effect of making their 
 eyes stare wildly and their tongues speechless; but 
 when at last the meaning of our words began to filter 
 through to their brains they poured forth such humble 
 excuses and prayers for pardon, that, conscious as I 
 was of our guilty purpose, I almost betrayed my 
 shame. However, pluck once more came to our 
 rescue, and with countenances on which guileless 
 innocence of design was depicted we proceeded on our 
 dangerous way. 
 
 We reached our destination, and were allowed to 
 pay the prisoners a short visit, and having thus 
 
my mother's death, a palace revolution. 243 
 
 effected so easy an entrance, we dared hope that our 
 egress in company with our brother would be attended 
 with equal success. 
 
 We found Bargasch and Meje in a great state of 
 excitement. They had witnessed the scene with the 
 guard from above, and had begun to fear that we 
 should be obliged to turn back after all, and leave 
 them to their fate. But now Bargasch raised another 
 difficulty ; he steadfastly declined to disguise himself 
 in a woman's dress. For aught we knew our visit 
 had already been reported and instructions been 
 applied for. In his own dress he would never have 
 been permitted to quit the house ; strict orders had 
 been given to shoot down at once every suspicious 
 person. We felt convinced that no one had dreamt of 
 our undertaking such an audacious deed, for if so, 
 other measures would most decidedly have been taken 
 beforehand. We were literally standing on a volcano, 
 that might open and swallow us up at any moment. 
 
 Armed to his teeth, Bargasch at last consented to 
 be wrapped in a Scheie, which only left his eyes free 
 and Abd il Aziz was disguised in the same way. We 
 chose the tallest women of our retinue to walk by the 
 side of Bargasch, to render his height less conspicuous; 
 and before starting we each said a silent prayer, 
 which for all we knew might be our last. 
 
 To escape suspicion we moved on in the usual 
 deliberate gait, while our hearts were throbbing and 
 well-nigh bursting with suppressed anxiety. Moreover, 
 we chatted as we went, though we must have made 
 superhuman efforts to conceal the trembling of our 
 voices. But now we reached the outposts, when — oh ! 
 
244 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 rapture — the guard made way respectfully, and let us 
 pass unmolested with our treasures. I need scarcely 
 attempt a description of our relief after the horrible 
 suspense we had endured, the breathless hovering 
 between life and death when we approached the lion's 
 jaws ! That memorable night passed as all earthly 
 things do — but its memory is ineffaceable. 
 
 We had written to inform several chiefs of our 
 purpose, and they were to w r ait for us at a certain 
 place outside the town with some of their followers. 
 It was arranged that, unless we were there to keep our 
 appointment at a given time, they were to consider 
 our plan as aborted, and in that case they were to 
 disperse and wait for further news, The meeting 
 place was a long way off, hidden among, trees. 
 
 We went through the inhabited part of the town at 
 our ordinary pace, but once on the outskirts we took 
 to our heels so as to be in time. We rushed over the 
 fields like a hunted band, with our delicate feet in 
 their gold and embroidered slippers, scrambled over 
 hedges and ditches, on— on. Then our servants, 
 who were ahead, cried out to us that we were making 
 straight for a stubble field ; but what cared we, so 
 long as our obstacles were not human beings ; but 
 there was no fear of detection, having put our lamps 
 out on leaving the town. Soon, however, we had to 
 slacken our pace, for we were getting near the 
 appointed place, and we women had of course to 
 observe some amount of reserve. Then slight coughs 
 were given as signals, and a voice was heard to ask 
 under its breath: " Is it you, Highness?" and an 
 answer being given in the affirmative, a general, 
 
MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 245 
 
 " Praised be the Lord," burst forth. We had reached 
 our goal in safety. 
 
 Bargasch, who had been terribly agitated on the 
 road, but had hardly uttered a word all the time, 
 threw off his disguise, bid us a hurried farewell, and 
 taking his little brother Abd il Aziz by the hand, at 
 once disappeared in the darkness, as he had to reach 
 Marseilles this very night. 
 
 For a time we stood perfectly exhausted and 
 speechless, looking after the retreating figures ; but 
 it had grown very late now, and we had to return 
 home, which we did in silence, and not without some 
 trepidation. We separated as we approached the 
 town, and avoiding the principal streets, reached our 
 homes, having first divided ourselves into small de- 
 tachments. 
 
 But now in the quiet solitude of our chambers, the 
 trials of the last few hours began to tell on us. It 
 was, perhaps, not so much to the mental strain we 
 felt ready to succumb ; but certainly the violent and 
 altogether unusual exertions w r ere too great for our 
 pampered bodies to pass over in silence. We all lay 
 down and groaned and wept for the remainder of that 
 night. Some of us fainted from sheer exhaustion. 
 Sleep that would have put our shattered nerves right 
 came not ; so we could do nothing but live over again 
 the horror of the last few hours, and repeating over 
 and over again for our own consolation that our 
 wildest hopes had been realized, and that our nearest 
 and dearest were in perfect safety. Of course, the 
 slightest sounds our ear detected, or those imagined 
 by our fevered brain, during that endless night, our 
 
246 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 guilty consciences magnified into the tramp of horses 
 and the clank of arms. Our distorted vision positively 
 saw the approach of the enemy who had come to 
 inflict the punishment for our deeds ; and when those 
 phantom shapes had vanished at last, our poor heads 
 were once more distracted hy fresh sounds proceeding 
 from a new quarter. 
 
 We peeped from our windows and saw the guards 
 passing quietly up and down outside the house in 
 which Bargasch had been confined up till a few hours 
 before. At dawn our servants summoned us to 
 prayers as usual. Generally Chole and I said our 
 prayers in separate rooms ; to-day, however, not know- 
 ing what might be in store for us at any moment, we 
 met in the same room for this purpose. Our fervent 
 desire was that Bargasch might be safe at Marseilles 
 by this time, about five o'clock in the morning. 
 
 But soon enough bad news came in. Already at 
 seven o'clock, we heard that our enemies had received 
 full information of all that had passed during the 
 night. A Bluchi soldier had recognized Bargasch in 
 spite of his disguise, but out of respect to our departed 
 father, in whose service he had been for many years, he 
 deferred giving the alarm, thinking that it was Bar- 
 gasch's intention to fly the country after getting free, 
 and seeing no reason for betraying us. 
 
 The market people, on reaching the town, reported 
 having seen many Arabs hurry on to Marseilles, and 
 a suspicion at once arose that this might be in con- 
 nection with the conspiracy, though nothing certain 
 was known. The Bluchi now considered it his duty 
 to reveal what he knew of the case, and with that 
 
MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 247 
 
 purpose apprised the Government. Upon examina- 
 tion, he announced in explanation of his delayed 
 report, that he would rather have sacrificed his life 
 than have compromised the women. I never heard 
 what became of the generous fellow afterwards, whom 
 our deed had thrown into such conflict with his con- 
 science. 
 
 Nothing was now left for the Government to do but 
 to put an end at once to open rebellion. Several 
 thousand soldiers were despatched to Marseilles. We 
 conspirators had counted upon success by means of a 
 sudden surprise or by skirmishes ; but the open field 
 had not been contemplated. The bombardment of 
 Marseilles soon reduced that beautiful palace to ruins, 
 and after an obstinate resistance and the loss of several 
 hundred innocent lives, the rebels fell into the hands 
 of the superior force. 
 
 The reader will naturally ask, what was the lot of 
 us women for the active part we had taken in the 
 rebellion, and what kind of punishment was adjudged 
 to us ? None. We should certainly not have come 
 off so well had the decision rested with any one but 
 noble and generous Mad j id — for indeed we had 
 deserved a heavy penalty. 
 
 The news of the fight and its result had not reached 
 us when we learned one morning that Bargasch, whom 
 we still believed at Marseilles, hadbeentotally defeated, 
 and had returned a fugitive to his house. Meje was 
 our informant. As for Bargasch, he remained con- 
 cealed, and would not even come to the window. But 
 still he scorned the idea of surrender, and declared his 
 intention of holding out to the bitter end. 
 
248 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 Beside himself and little Abd il Aziz, who had shown 
 the greatest bravery notwithstanding his youth, a 
 number of notables and many servants had arrived in 
 groups, who completely filled the lower part of the 
 house. With their assistance Bargasch yet hoped to 
 carry out his plans, though he had failed with a far 
 greater force. We also, in spite of the heavy loss we 
 had sustained in property, in soldiers, and in slaves, 
 and though we had sacrificed the friendship of our 
 other brothers and sisters and relations, we had not 
 yet come to our senses. In our blindness and obsti- 
 nacy we would not believe in such a miserable failure. 
 
 The news of Bargasch's return spread all over the 
 town the same night. It was generally believed that 
 he had come back to surrender to his brother, and 
 Madjid himself desired to make his submission easy 
 for him. Instead of soldiers, he sent his nephew, Sud 
 bin Hilal, this time with a message to the effect that 
 he would readily grant his pardon for all that had 
 occurred, if Bargasch would promise to give up all 
 rebellious plans for the future. Sud, a very gentle 
 and kindhearted man, should deliver this message 
 quite alone, in proof of his peaceful intentions. 
 
 At first Bargasch would not even allow his nephew, 
 who was considerably older than himself, to enter his 
 house, and requested him to deliver his message from 
 the street ; but Sud positively declined to do this. 
 After being kept a long time waiting, the gate was 
 just opened sufficiently to allow him to pass in alone ; 
 after which he had to climb up the barricaded stairs. 
 Preparations had everywhere been made to shoot down 
 any one attempting to enter by force. The staircase 
 
MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 249 
 
 could be closed at its upper landing by a massive trap- 
 door, a contrivance which was only to be found in this 
 house, and which dated from the times of our step- 
 mother Schesade, and this door was covered with heavy 
 boxes besides. In this rather humiliating manner 
 Madjid's ambassador made his entrance ; and the 
 result of his mission was equally painful, for he had 
 to leave without having succeeded, Bargasch refusing 
 in the most decided way to yield and to surrender. 
 
 Mad j id had now no alternative left but force. In 
 conferring with the British Consul, the latter con- 
 vinced him at last of the necessity of putting a stop 
 to these dangerous tumults, and offered his assistance 
 to that end. An English gunboat happened to be 
 in port, and owing to her small draft of water she was 
 considered more suitable to anchor opposite Bargasch's 
 house, than our own larger men-of-war. The crew 
 disembarked to blockade the house, and if this step 
 still took no effect it was resolved to bombard the 
 palace, and to shoot every soul in it. 
 
 I had one morning left my room, which looked out 
 upon a narrow street, and from which there was no 
 view of the sea, on my way to Chole to w 7 ish her good 
 morning. I found her in great agitation, walking up 
 and down her room, wringing her hands. " Oh, 
 Salme, dearest, where have you been all this time ? " 
 she exclaimed, plaintively ; and, showing me the 
 English ship and the disembarked marines, she told 
 me in broken sentences all that was happening. 
 
 On reminding her that it w 7 ould never have come to 
 
 this if she and Bargasch had only yielded in time, I 
 
 was again answered with the olfl reproach, that I 
 17 
 
250 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 showed too little ardour in their cause. But, in the 
 name of heaven, I asked, what could I do more ? 
 Had I not compromised myself as much as they ? 
 Had I not staked my property without hesitation? 
 Had I spared myself personally, whenever I could be 
 of service to our party? All this appeared to be entirely 
 forgotten now, when in the face cf my cooled sense 
 and justice, I could not longer lend any countenance 
 to this irrational enterprise. But I think I could 
 have borne the taunt from any one better than from 
 her I loved with all my being. 
 
 The marines now began to fire upon Bargasch's 
 house, at first with their muskets only. The balls 
 entered the windows, and one passed close to Bargasch, 
 and struck the wall behind him. When matters had 
 become thus serious, he fled with Meje, Abd il Aziz, 
 and the other occupants of the room, to the back of 
 the house, to escape the bullets which were now sent 
 flying about right and left. 
 
 When the first shot was fired, Chole broke into con- 
 vulsive crying, abusing Madjid, the Government, and 
 the English all at one time, for the cruel measures 
 they were adopting. The whole household, too, broke 
 out in panic as the firing increased, for our house 
 being immediately behind Bargasch's palace, we were 
 likewise exposed to great danger. Some rushed about 
 wildly, taking a tender farewell from everybody, and 
 asking forgiveness where they thought it was needed, 
 whilst those who were more calm packed up their 
 jewels ready to carry away in their flight ; others 
 again stood helplessly about, moaning and weeping, 
 unable to collect their thoughts or come to a decision. 
 
MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 251 
 
 Many prayed where they stood — in the passages, on the 
 stairs, in the courtyard, or on the roof, which had 
 been boarded in by palisades. Their example was 
 soon followed by others, and instead of the general 
 agitation we were soothed by the consciousness that 
 not men's but the Lord's will is done, and that our 
 fate is in His hands always. By and by we, one and 
 all, were bent low with our foreheads on the ground 
 in token of humble submission. 
 
 All these hundreds of people, who, after getting over 
 their first terrors, put their faith in the Lord, might 
 have fled easily. There was nothing to prevent us 
 seeking a refuge at Bet il Sahel, but not one thought 
 of doing this. 
 
 Unable to face such imminent danger any longer, 
 Chole at last persuaded our obstinate brother to give 
 in and tender his submission. Contrary to all rules 
 of etiquette, she ran herself to the British Consul to 
 announce this, and to demand a cessation of hostili- 
 ties. It may be asked, why she did not go to Madjid 
 to settle with him direct ? This question was put by 
 a good many people in Zanzibar. They could not 
 understand that Chole's and Bargasch's hatred of 
 Madjid should be so great as to prevent them meeting 
 on any consideration whatever. It must have been 
 that they were too much ashamed of themselves ; 
 that they would rather humble themselves (for it was 
 a great humiliation in the eyes of every true Arab) in 
 asking the assistance and the mediation of a foreign 
 Power. At that time the English did not possess the 
 supremacy they have at present in East Africa ; they 
 had as little to do with the inner affairs of Zanzibar 
 
252 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 as the Turks or the Germans. It is only since 1875 
 — thanks to their slave policy — that their power has 
 greatly increased, and that circumstances are tending 
 to the gradual decline and ruin of our people. 
 
 Chole did not find the English Consul at home ; 
 but as the people from Bargasch's house called out 
 to the marines: " Aman, Aman" (Peace), they 
 stopped firing, and an end was put to further ruin. 
 If the gunboat had been in operation instead of the 
 marines, there would be in all probability another sove- 
 reign seated on the throne of Zanzibar to-day, and I 
 should never have come to Europe. But one thing is 
 quite certain, that we none of us would have got off 
 so well if in the place of noble Madjid any other 
 person had determined our fate. 
 
 To prevent the recurrence of such a rebellion, it 
 was decided to banish Bargasch to British India. This 
 was done upon the advice of the British Consul ; the 
 English, perhaps, wished to get him, as the pre- 
 sumptive successor to Madjid, into their power to 
 train him for future plans of their own. We met 
 Bargasch and Meje once more that evening to bid our 
 departing brothers good-bye, for Abd il Aziz had 
 declared of his free will to share his brother's exile. 
 They were ordered to embark the next morning, and 
 were conveyed to Bombay in a British man-of-war. 
 Bargasch stayed there for about two years, and then 
 quietly returned to Zanzibar, succeeding, in 1870, 
 after Madjid's decease, to the throne he had so eagerly 
 coveted. 
 
 Thus ended our enterprise, which had been com- 
 menced with such sanguine hopes. It had cost us 
 
MY MOTHER'S DEATH. A PALACE REVOLUTION. 253 
 
 dear enough, especially our nieces, whose great wealth, 
 however, soon recovered the heavy losses. Many of 
 our hest slaves had fallen, and as many more wounded 
 and invalided, reminding us continually of the mischief 
 we had been the means of causing, though this was 
 the smallest punishment we could expect to reap from 
 the evil seed we had sown. But one great grief was 
 still in store for us — the affection and regard of our 
 brothers and sisters, of all our relations, that we had 
 so wantonly forfeited, were lost to us for ever, and the 
 sting in our remorse lay in that we felt their coldness 
 to us to be in every way justified and the only attitude 
 they could possibly assume. 
 
 Madjid alone did not change from the large-hearted, 
 magnanimous brother he had always been. He was 
 repeatedly advised not to let us go without punish- 
 ment, it being notorious that without our active co- 
 operation Bargasch must have surrendered long before 
 the sacrifice of life had been resorted to as the last 
 means of restoring order. He replied that all this 
 was quite triae, but that nevertheless it went against 
 his principles to publicly humiliate any woman — a 
 generosity which we were as far from deserving as he 
 was from meriting the public opinion that his action 
 was a sign of weakness on his part. 
 
 I cannot say that our life henceforth was a bed of 
 roses in the town. Eemaining friends we had very 
 few indeed ; whilst our foes thought fit to watch our 
 every action. Even the crafty Banyans so far conformed 
 to the general odium in which we were held, by keep- 
 ing aloof from us, but only during the day, for at 
 dusk their scruples seemed to have vanished, and 
 
254 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 they would creep in stealthily and press on us those 
 wares which they had not been able to dispose of 
 before. So, considering the scanty attractions the 
 city could offer me for the present, I decided to with- 
 draw for a time to one of my estates. 
 
CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 KISIMBANI AND BUBUBU. 
 
 A few days later I was hastening at sunrise, mounted 
 on my little white donkey, to my plantation, Kisimbani. 
 I intended to stay and take rest here for some time, 
 until things had become a little more quiet and 
 peaceable at home. Cliole, Meje, and my two nieces 
 soon followed my example, and retired likewise into 
 the country. 
 
 Since my mother's death I had been but rarely, and 
 then only for a day or two at a time, to my three 
 plantations ; and after all that had passed I now 
 enjoyed the quiet and repose of country life all the 
 more. My mother had always shown a preference 
 for Kisimbani, and many things there reminded me 
 of her, so I revisited all the spots where she had 
 liked to walk and to rest. I was now going to take 
 into my own hands the pleasures as well as the great 
 drawbacks that rise in the path of unmarried Arabian 
 ladies, our laws of seclusion precluding every possi- 
 bility of applying for male assistance. Etiquette even 
 forbids us to speak to those of our officials who are 
 free men. Orders and accounts can only be given by, 
 
256 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 and settled through, the medium of slaves. Very 
 few great ladies can write themselves, and fewer still 
 of single ladies have ever received a written account 
 of any sort from their overseers, such as European 
 landowners expect from their bailiffs once in the year. 
 A mistress is generally satisfied if they provide the 
 necessities of the household, and send in cash as 
 many thousand dollars after the sale of the crops 
 as they can. These sums are realized by the sale of 
 cloves and cocoanuts ; but it is thought mean to 
 sell potatoes, yams, or any other vegetables raised 
 on the estates ; and the overseer is allowed to dis- 
 pose on his own account of all the surplus. These 
 people, who are mostly natives of Oman, soon acquire 
 sufficient wealth with which they can return to their 
 country and live and die in peace. 
 
 "While I lived in town my overseer, Hassan, used to 
 come once a week or fortnight from Kisimbani to 
 hand in his report through my slaves and to ask for 
 orders ; but now that I purposed staying at Kisimbani 
 for a time, honest Hassan was very much in my way. 
 The poor fellow himself was made very uncomfort- 
 able at having to escape to all sorts of places lest he 
 might even unintentionally happen to meet us. I 
 therefore transferred him to another estate which he 
 also managed, and replaced him by an Abyssinian 
 slave, called Murdjan (Coral), a superior man for his 
 station, who could also read and write. He was full 
 of energy, and well able to manage a few hundred 
 country slaves. The Abyssinian s are very smart 
 people as a rule, and we purchased them in preference 
 to negroes. 
 
KISIMBANI AND BUBUBU. 257 
 
 I was now able to move and ride about as much as 
 I liked without fear of confronting poor Hassan bin 
 Alys at every turn of the road. I spent many happy 
 hours daily in looking after my domestic animals, 
 and visiting the old people in their huts, with dainties 
 from my table for their toothless gums. The little 
 slave children — -who are considered as a sort of 
 property by their masters — were sent to me every 
 day to be washed at the well with Eassel (the leaves 
 of a tree which, dried and powdered, make a lather 
 like soap), and then fed. They remained in some 
 part of the courtyard for the remainder of the day 
 under the care of a trustworthy female slave, until 
 their parents returned in the afternoon from the 
 fields to take them home. They were much better 
 off this way than tied all day to their mothers' backs, 
 exposed to the heat and glare of the sun. 
 
 This free and untrammelled country life was ex- 
 quisite enjoyment to me, and I rejoiced at having 
 thus escaped all the troubles of the town. The wives 
 and daughters of the notables on the adjoining estate 
 called upon me, so I soon had my house full of guests 
 for weeks and months together. 
 
 Many strangers also came in to refresh and rest 
 themselves after a long march, in the room set apart 
 for men. This is a custom always practised with us, 
 and the number of these guests was very considerable, 
 as Kisimbani stood near two much frequented cross 
 roads. 
 
 Two sisters and one nephew had estates adjoining 
 mine. The last was Fessal, the orphan son of Hilal, 
 of whom I have already spoken as a very kind, but 
 
258 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 greatly misjudged man. I was the first to know him 
 really well ; he attached himself to me with quite a 
 childlike confidence, and came over to see me nearly 
 every day. 
 
 I was also in constant communication with the 
 town. Two sets of messengers started on alternate 
 mornings and returned with the news in the evening. 
 I was heartily glad to receive now only visits of a 
 harmless nature, after the tangled net I had been 
 drawn into in the capital. • 
 
 The great excitement which had followed the 
 miserable failure of the conspiracy had at last given 
 way to a feeling of greater quiet, but the dissent 
 between the brothers and sisters continued unabated. 
 I was, therefore, in no hurry to return or even to pay 
 a short visit, though I could have easily ridden there 
 in two hours ; but, instead, my friends came frequently 
 to see me. 
 
 My happiness would have been complete had I not 
 missed one thing — the sea — which until now I had 
 had before me all my life. My three plantations 
 were in the interior of the island, but as I had decided 
 to live in the country, and did not know at that time 
 what it was to have an unfulfilled wish, I made up 
 my mind to purchase a plantation at the seaside. To 
 my regret this was not an easy matter, as all estates 
 possessing this advantage were owned by people 
 who cared more for the situation than for their rental. 
 The "Dellal" (broker) who had, through my slaves, 
 received instructions to make inquiries, declared that 
 he would not rest until he had found such an estate, 
 but still he failed. 
 
KISIMBANI AND BUBUBU. 259 
 
 He had just arrived with this dismal news when a 
 lady friend called, who mentioned to me that a cousin 
 of hers had a small country seat close to the sea, and 
 that residing, permanently in town, he had no use for 
 it, and might possibly be induced to sell or at least 
 let it to me. 
 
 People in Europe are generally under the im- 
 pression that the whole country is the private pro- 
 perty of the Sultan and of his family, and that the 
 subjects are quite defenceless in protecting their 
 property against them ; indeed, that we have merely 
 to take what we covet, without asking the owner's 
 consent. But jurisdiction is not quite as primitive 
 as all that with the Arabs, and private property there 
 can no more be touched than anywhere else. The 
 difficulties I had to contend with, notwithstanding the 
 liberal offer I was prepared to make is, I think, a very 
 good proof of my statement. I much regretted to 
 learn during my last visit at Zanzibar, that a de- 
 teriorating change has recently taken place in this 
 respect, for it appears that the property of the British 
 Consul was a present made to him by the Sultan, who 
 had deprived the former owner of it without awarding 
 any compensation. 
 
 On the following morning we rode over to the 
 estate, which was called Bububu, to have a look at 
 it. The house was shut up, and it took some time 
 before we could gain admittance. The grounds looked 
 as if they had been allowed to take care of themselves 
 of late ; but the house was spacious and well-built. 
 Outside, in a courtyard, were the kitchens and servants' 
 lodgings, A little river, reminding me greatly of my 
 
260 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 much-loved Mtoni, ran right through the court, and 
 this was worth a great deal in itself in a hot clime 
 like ours. The view from the upper story was per- 
 fectly charming, large and small palm trees rose on 
 either hand, and the front was huilt so close to the 
 shore, that its walls at time's were washed hy the 
 waves. 
 
 I decided at once to huy or to rent Bubuhu, and 
 sent my friend to her cousin next morning. She 
 informed that he could not make up his mind to 
 dispose of it, but that it would give him great pleasure 
 to offer it me for as long as I cared to reside in it. 
 This, however, I politely declined, and succeeded at 
 last in obtaining a lease at a certain annual rental. 
 
 About a week after signing tbe contract— for even 
 that formality is gone through in Zanzibar — I removed 
 to Bububu, where I once more delighted in the sight 
 of the sea that I had known from my earliest youth. 
 The only thing that saddened me was the parting 
 from my nephew Fessal ; he took our separation 
 much to heart, as he had no companion beyond his 
 old stepmother. 
 
 I took all my domestic animals with me ; they 
 seemed not a little surprised at finding themselves 
 suddenly in a new place, but evidently as satisfied 
 with the change as myself. For hours together I 
 would walk about here on the shore, watching the 
 many ships and fishing boats that glided past on their 
 way to the city. 
 
 I was now much nearer to the latter, and could reach 
 it both by sea and by land. Almost every day my 
 three brothers, Abd il Wehab, Hanclan, and Djemschid, 
 
KISIMBANI AND BUBUBU. 261 
 
 came out to see me, either on horseback or by boat. 
 Many pleasant days and hours we spent together in 
 this place, and in their company the time passed 
 away very agreeably. 
 
 I saw much more society here than at Kisimbani. 
 Not a single day passed without one or two, and fre- 
 quently as many as ten, ladies coming to stay with 
 me for some days. I always look back with pleasure 
 and regret on this beautiful, unclouded period of my 
 youth. 
 
 My stay at Bububu was not, however, to be of long 
 duration. I was sweeping the sea one day with my 
 glass, to see if any of my brothers were coming. 
 A single boat soon came in sight, in which Abd il 
 Wehab was alone this time, his looks betraying to 
 me at once that he was the bearer of unwelcome 
 news. 
 
 " What news do you bring, Abd il Wehab, my 
 brother ?" I asked, when he entered. 
 
 " I have been sent with a request to you to-day, 
 sister Salme, which is far from pleasing to me," he 
 replied. " Only guess from whom." At my pressing 
 questions, he continued : 
 
 " You are aware that a new British Consul has 
 lately arrived ? " 
 
 " What do I care for him? Has he sent you, 
 perhaps ? " 
 
 "No!" 
 
 " Well, then, speak out and tell me all, without 
 tormenting me any longer ! " 
 
 " Bat won't you be angry with me, Salme ? " 
 
 " No, no ; but now out with it quick," I exclaimed. 
 
262 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 "Well, I am commissioned by — Mad j id, who en- 
 treats you, if you still have any love for hiin, to give 
 up Bububu. The new British Consul sent yesterday 
 to him to inquire if he could have Bububu as his 
 country seat." 
 
 Madjid's request was a great blow to me. Any one 
 else I should have refused point-blank, but could I 
 again thwart Madjid, against whose government and 
 life I had so wickedly conspired ? I had so far made 
 no attempt at meeting him, although I felt convinced 
 that he had condoned the past and wiped it from his 
 memory. Now that he, the injured and offended one; 
 took the first step himself (this was his meaning, for 
 otherwise he might easily have told the consul that 
 Bububu was not his to dispose of), I thought I might 
 repay a small portion of the debt I owed him, by 
 granting his request ; and I spoke to Abd il Wehab to 
 this effect. 
 
 Madjid had sent me word that if I consented he 
 would get Abd il Wehab to procure a proper town 
 residence for me, as he was aware that I did not wish 
 to return to Bet il Mtoni. But I had not yet made 
 up my mind where to go, and I asked for time to 
 consider his proposal. 
 
 I was, perhaps, for the first time in my life, really 
 grieved at anything so material. But I had been so 
 happy at Bububu, and could have had no desire for 
 anything better. When Abd il Wehab left me after 
 dinner, it was with the earnest request not to return 
 to Kisimbani. Then I took a tearful leave of all my 
 favourite spots. 
 
 I struggled long before making up my mind to 
 
KISIMBANI AND BUBUBU. 263 
 
 return once more into the turmoils of the capital, for 
 it seemed as if I could not shake off certain gloomy 
 presentiments. 
 
 Next morning I wrote to Abd il Wehab that I should 
 be ready to leave Bububu in a week's time, and would 
 then place it at Madjid's disposal, and as I had 
 decided to return to Kisimbani I made all necessary 
 arrangements for this purpose. But in the afternoon 
 my three dear brothers appeared, crying out simulta- 
 neously: " Salme, we will hear no more of Kisimbani ! 
 If you care for us in the least, you must return to 
 live in town ! " And Djemschid jestingly continued : 
 "If you are going to hide yourself on your plantation, 
 we shall come at night and set it on fire ! " At the 
 same time they begged me in their mothers' names 
 (who were Circassian women all three) to come back 
 to town. For the last time we all spent the day to- 
 gether at pleasant Bububu, and then they left me 
 and rejoiced at having prevailed on me to live in the 
 town again. 
 
CHAPTER XXVIIL 
 
 HY LAST RESIDENCE IN ZANZIBAR. 
 
 I happened to be, a few days afterwards, one moon- 
 light night, on the roof of my new town residence, 
 procured for me by Abd il Wehab, talking to an old 
 acquaintance, when Selim suddenly appeared to an- 
 nounce Chole. 
 
 "Oh, Salme, I never thought you were so bad as 
 all that ! " These were the first words she exclaimed 
 on entering. 
 
 " Good evening, Chole ; and what ill have I done 
 to you ? " I asked, quite taken by surprise, leading 
 her to the seat of honour, the " Tekje." 
 
 "You really pretend you have done nothing to me ? 
 Is it nothing that you have given up Bububu to oblige 
 Madjid and the godless Kafer ? " (Englishman). 
 
 " But, my dear sister," I replied, a little hurt, 
 " surely if I don't mind — and, besides, I explained 
 the matter to you fully in my letter the other day." 
 
 " I suppose you wished to insinuate yourself again 
 into the good graces of the damned ? " (by whom she 
 meant Madjid). 
 
 " No, you are altogether mistaken ; it is no favour 
 I want of any one, and that you know well enough 
 Yourself." 
 
MY LAST RESIDENCE IN ZANZIBAR. 2G5 
 
 " Yes, I know that ; but why did you grant his 
 request ? " she persisted, getting more and more 
 excited. " And I understand it is he who induced 
 you to live here instead of at Bet il Tani." 
 
 " No, it was not he who asked me to do so, but 
 Abd il Wehab, Hamdan, and Djemschid wished me to 
 live here," I said. 
 
 " Well, I see now that you have turned against us." 
 she replied, rising and refusing the refreshments 
 offered to her by the servant. " You may now choose 
 between myself and Bargasch on the one side, and 
 the slave of the Englishman on the other ! Good- 
 bye ! " And without listening to another word she 
 turned and went. 
 
 I have never seen Chole since that day, though I 
 lived for some years longer in the same town with 
 her, and it was only after my departure that she re- 
 lented. I often asked myself in what way I could 
 have offended her, but could think of no intentional 
 offence on my part ; my only object in giving up 
 Bububu had been to relieve my own conscience of 
 some of its load. And now this absurd reproach that 
 I had been moved by motives of ultimate gain ! 
 But on the evening when Chole had vented her dis- 
 pleasure on me I remembered she was very much 
 excited, and might have said more than she meant. 
 
 Up to this time I had seen neither Mad j id nor 
 Chadudj; and in order to avoid giving fresh grounds 
 for Chole's suspicions, I resolved to keep out of their 
 way altogether. But it was to be otherwise, for hardly 
 had I been a fortnight in my new place when Madjid 
 himself came, followed by a great retinue. 
 
266 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 " Good morning, Saline," he cried ; " you see I am 
 the first to come, though I am so much your senior, 
 to thank you for getting me out of that dilemma with 
 the Englishman." 
 
 " Oh, my brother, that was nothing, really nothing 
 worth speaking of," I stammered, for no one w 7 as 
 taken more by surprise by this visit than myself. 
 Nor did Madjid, in his kind and generous way, allude 
 to aught that had occurred, but tried to put me at 
 my ease at once by talking of all sorts of other 
 things. 
 
 "You will, I hope, come and see Chadudj one of 
 these days ? " 
 
 " Yes, surely I will come," was the reply I naturally 
 gave. 
 
 M And our aunt Asche, who loves you so dearly, 
 now lives with us, and she will be so rejoiced to see 
 you again." 
 
 Madjid stayed about an hour, and we parted per- 
 fectly reconciled. The news of his visit spread all 
 over the town the same day, and it was of course also 
 reported to Chole. 
 
 Now that Madjid had been the first to come to me, 
 which I could never have looked for, the only course 
 left open to me, even if I had remained unforgiving in 
 my heart, was to return his call and also inquire for 
 Chadudj and my aunt Asche. I could not then fore- 
 see how dear this simple act of courtesy w r as to cost 
 me afterwards. This step is still considered the 
 greatest crime on my part. Such excess of jealousy 
 may appear incomprehensible, yet at the time it was 
 unfortunately but too well in keeping with the rest of 
 
MY LAST RESIDENCE IN ZANZIBAR. 267 
 
 our family affairs, as I found out by and by. Indeed 
 it had to be neck or nothiug. Friendliness with both 
 factions of our family was a thing utterly out of the 
 question. 
 
 The two parties existed as before, and the intrigues 
 continued unabated, only more secretly. 
 
 It is the nature of Eastern people to be very candid. 
 They are unable to dissimulate in the masterly manner 
 that answers so well here. An Oriental rarely con- 
 ceals his aversion to a person who has affronted him 
 by look, word, or deed; he at once betrays his feelings 
 as a child would. Dissimulation, if such a thing could 
 be practised with any degree of success by our quick- 
 tempered Southerners, would be simply put down to 
 cowardice. They reason thus : " Why should I show 
 myself otherwise than I am ? Are not all my thoughts 
 and feelings known to the Lord ? Why then should I 
 try to dissemble in the face of men or be afraid of 
 them ? " 
 
 The engagement and subsequent marriage of two of 
 my sisters with two cousins happily caused a little 
 diversion in our life ; indeed, the continual quarrels 
 and dissensions in our family were suspended for some 
 months. As is frequently the case, these sisters 
 married to two brothers, had drawn a very different 
 lot. The unhappy one had children and the happy 
 one had to go without, however much she might long 
 for them. Oar circle was further increased b} r a good 
 many of our Oman relations, who had come to our 
 country on account of the precarious position of our 
 brothers there, and for a time at least I could once 
 more taste the pleasures of family life. 
 
'268 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 Above all, I shall never forget one of my friends. I 
 may not mention her name or be more explicit here 
 as to our relations or separation. All I can take on 
 myself to state is that this true friend helped me to 
 the last when I was about to leave my home under 
 great perils. Being fully acquainted with all my 
 domestic concerns, she could not fail to perceive what 
 was going on ; still she remained, until I was com- 
 pelled to remove her by gentle force till half an hour 
 before I left. "Highness," -she said, in taking leave, 
 may the Lord of the universe protect you ! I am 
 aware that I shall have to give up my life within 
 twelve hours ; but for your sake that is not too much ! " 
 Her parting words still ring in my ears, and 1 may 
 well exclaim : A friend in need is a friend indeed ! 
 
 If people wish to know what is really understood 
 by perfect devotion and self-sacrificing friendship, 
 they must go to the East. I do not mean to say that 
 such friendship is not elsewhere to be met with ; but 
 certain it is that where an Arab once loves, his life is 
 for evermore consecrated to the object of his heart. 
 
 Though the distinction of classes is nowhere more 
 observable than in the East, it is not taken into ac- 
 count at all in a case of real friendship. A prince 
 will be on the same friendly terms with the son of a 
 poor stable-man, whom he is fond of, as with any of 
 his more distinguished friends, and without making 
 the least distinction between them ; and a princess 
 will treat the wives and daughters of a simple over- 
 seer as affectionately as the most exalted lady. My 
 sister Meje, for instance, formed an intimate friendship 
 with the daughter of an overseer. She invited her to 
 
MY LAST RESIDENCE IN ZANZIBAR. 269 
 
 her palace, and lier attachment to the poor, shy, but 
 highly-giffced girl remained a very close one until they 
 were separated by death. 
 
 It is no rare occurrence either, that a lady of high 
 rank makes a friend of one of her female slaves, not 
 a negress of course, but some Abyssinian or Circas- 
 sian ; which ends in her being bought by her bene- 
 factress for five or six times her value, if purchase 
 in her case be possible ; her freedom being secured by 
 a legal act for all times. 
 
 In case of imprisonment a friend will always 
 spend several hours every day with the prisoner, and 
 a banished person is everywhere accompanied by his 
 friends. In misfortune and poverty the friends assist 
 the luckless person with their fortune, nor is it ever 
 required to appeal to the public for contributions on 
 such occasions. All this is, as it were, instilled into 
 us from early youth, and is thenceforward regarded as 
 a matter of course. 
 
CHAPTEE XXIX. 
 
 GREAT CHANGES. 
 
 While all this bitterness prevailed in our family I 
 was made happy by the affection of a young German, 
 who lived at Zanzibar as the representative of a Ham- 
 burg mercantile firm. A good many untrue reports 
 have been published with regard to these, to me, 
 important events, and I feel it incumbent on me to 
 briefly mention them here. During the reign of my 
 brother Madjid the Europeans enjoyed a very respected 
 position; they were often and gladly received as guests 
 at his house and on his estates, and were alwavs 
 treated with marked attention on such occasions. 
 My step-sister Chole and myself were on most friendly 
 terms with all foreigners in Zanzibar, which led to 
 various courtesies, such as the custom of the country 
 admitted. The European ladies of Zanzibar for the 
 most part called only upon Chole and myself. 
 
 Soon after my removal from Bububu I made the 
 acquaintance of my future husband. My house was 
 next to his ; the flat roof of his house was a little lower 
 than my own. He held his dinner parties in a 
 room opposite to where I could watch them ; for 
 he knew that this display of a European festivity 
 
GREAT CHANGES. 271 
 
 must be very interesting to me. Our friendship, 
 from which in time sprang love, was soon known 
 in the town, and my brother Madjid also was well 
 aware of it, but he never showed any displeasure, 
 much les^ made me suffer imprisonment on this 
 account, as the gossips had it. 
 
 I was, of course, desirous of leaving my home secretly, 
 where our union was out of the question. The first 
 attempt failed, but a more favourable opportunity soon 
 presented itself. Through the mediation of my friend 
 Mrs. D., the wife of Dr. D., the .British Vice-consul at 
 the time, I was one night taken on board by Mr. P., 
 Commander of the British man-of-war, Highflyer; and 
 everything having been in waiting and preparation 
 for me, we started at once and steered to the north. 
 We reached Aden all safe, where I was received 
 by a Spanish couple, whom I had known at Zanzibar; 
 and there I was going to wait till my affianced hus- 
 band could join me; for he was as yet detained at 
 Zanzibar in winding up his affairs. 
 
 In the meantime I had been instructed in the 
 Christian religion, and was baptized in the English 
 Church at Aden with the name of Emily, and married 
 immediately after according to the English rite. 
 After our marriage we left for Hamburg, via Marseilles, 
 where I was received in the kindest manner by the 
 parents and relations of my husband. 
 
 I accustomed myself soon to my strange surround- 
 ings, and endeavoured to learn all that was necessary 
 for me. My dear never-to-be-forgotten husband 
 helped me on in all these stages, with the deepest 
 interest. Especially fond he was of observing the 
 
272 MEMOIRS OP AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 first impressions that European life and the customs 
 of tbe civilized world made on me. I have retained 
 a most faithful memory of them, and may speak 
 of some on a future occasion. 
 
 Our quiet, happy, and contented life was only to 
 last a short while. Little more than three 3-ears 
 after our removal to Hamburg, my dear husband had 
 the misfortune of falling while jumping from a tram- 
 car, and was run over. He expired three days later 
 after great sufferings, leaving me quite alone in the 
 world with three children, of which the youngest was 
 only three months old. For a time I thought of re- 
 turning to my native home, but fate decreed that two 
 months after this unspeakable grief my dear brother 
 Mad j id was also to die, he who had always been so 
 kind to me. He did nothing to harm my fiance after 
 my departure, but allowed him to settle his affairs at 
 Zanzibar without hindrance, nor did he ever after 
 manifest the slightest resentment at my secret flight. 
 Like a true Moslem he believed in fate and predestina- 
 tion, and was convinced that it'was this that took me 
 to Germany. He gave me a touching proof of his 
 brotherly love shortly before he died by despatching 
 a steamer with a full cargo of all kinds of things to 
 Hamburg for presents. The generous donor suddenly 
 departed this life while the ship was yet on its way. 
 I have never seen or received any of the goods in- 
 tended for me, nor had I received any intelligence at 
 the time of Madjid's generous intention. I only 
 learned afterwards that his kind purpose was inter- 
 cepted, and that the appearance of the ship at Ham- 
 burg at the time was reported to be for the purpose of 
 
GREAT CHANGES. 273 
 
 repairs. Nine years later I heard from a friend, -who 
 had been on board the vessel at Gibraltar, and who 
 had then seen the captain, that the cargo was intended 
 for me. In spite of every effort to keep their arrival 
 in port dark, the dusky crew had by some means 
 found out my dwelling in Hamburg. The poor fellows 
 were wild with joy at having succeeded, and showed 
 their attachment in the most touching manner. 
 
 Two years more I lived in Hamburg, but never 
 free from misfortunes. I lost a considerable part of 
 my property through the fault -of others, and learnt 
 now that the management of my affairs must be 
 undertaken by myself. The deepest aversion to the 
 place where I had formerly been so happy now? com- 
 pletely overpowered me — in addition to which my lrfe 
 among the people of that city was not made as plea- 
 sant as I could have wished or expected. 
 
 I removed to Dresden, where I met with the kindest 
 advances from all sides. From that place I went to 
 London, of which I am going to speak in the next* 
 chapter. Wishing to lead a quiet life for a time, I 
 lived for some years in pretty Kudalstadt, and there 
 also I made many dear friends, foremost among whom 
 I must mention with gratitude their Eoyal Highnesses. 
 I soon recovered my shattered health so far that I 
 could think of removing to Berlin, for the better ad- 
 vancement of my children's education. There, also, 
 my social life was of the happiest. I shall remain 
 deeply grateful all my life for the interest evinced 
 for me by the most exalted persons there. 
 
CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 SEJID BARGASCH IN LONDON. 
 
 I had always kept up a- correspondence with my 
 native country, and had never given up hoping to see 
 it again, but the obduracy of my brother had ren- 
 dered any reconciliation hitherto impossible. His 
 implacability was not, however, on account of my de- 
 sertion of the faith — it was what he chose to consider a 
 personal affront to him — viz., my renewed friendship 
 with his old adversary Madjid ! But I continued to 
 yearn for all my dear ones at home, and secretly I 
 never relinquished the hope of being once more recon- 
 ciled to them. 
 
 All at once a report was spread through the press 
 — in the spring of 1875 — a report that stirred my 
 whole being, to the effect that my brother Bargasch, 
 the sovereign of Zanzibar since Madjid's death, was 
 about to visit London. 
 
 I took no steps at first to verify this news, nor did I 
 betray the uneasiness it caused me. I had experi- 
 enced too many disappointments in my life to allow 
 of sanguine hopes, and it required all the power of 
 persuasion on the part of my friends to decide me to 
 go to London myself. The Secretary of State, Herr 
 von Biilow, held out hopes to me of the diplomatic 
 
SEJID BARGASCII IN LONDON. 275 
 
 aid of the ambassador, Count Miinster, which I regret 
 to saj, however, proved of little assistance to me. 
 
 The short time previous to my departure I employed 
 in learning English, so as to render myself a little 
 less helpless. For nearly eight weeks I was busily 
 poring from morn till night over my books, learning 
 English words and reciting dialogues. The thought 
 of having to leave my three children behind damped 
 my ardour not a little all the time. 
 
 After an exhausting, wearying journey, I arrived at 
 last in the giant city, where rooms at a hotel had 
 been prepared for me by some friends of mine, the 
 only persons I knew in all London, and those but 
 slightly. I had only seen them once, when they paid 
 us, or rather my dear husband, a short call on their 
 wedding tour, yet they were ever after kindness and 
 devotion itself to me. 
 
 My brother's arrival was only expected a week 
 later, and in the intervening time I made myself 
 acquainted with all that was new and quite strange 
 to me. Count Miinster, on whom I had called at the 
 earliest opportunity, kindly promised to assist me 
 to the best of his ability. 
 
 Some few days after my arrival, while sitting in the 
 drawing-room of my hotel, buried in sad thoughts, the 
 card of Dr. P., M.P., the brother of a dear friend of 
 mine, was handed to me. I was a perfect stranger to 
 him and to his wife, since deceased, but in both I sub- 
 sequently found two of the most kind-hearted persons, 
 ever ready to pluck the thorns from under my feet. 
 They had come to offer me their services, and to 
 make at the same time the welcome proposal of carry- 
 
276 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 ing me off to their own home. I dined with them the 
 same day, and removed on the following to their 
 house, and as things had thus acquired a more plea- 
 sant aspect, I took fresh courage, hoping that the end 
 of my mission would take a favourable turn. 
 
 My friends in Germany strongly advised me before 
 starting to proceed as cautiously as possible, and in 
 the first instance to try and procure the aid of the 
 British Government in my behalf. I at last gave way 
 to their earnest entreaties, though I had at first been 
 resolved — after having often before realized to my cost 
 how inexpedient it was of me, a stranger, to negotiate 
 matters in Europe — to trust to God and myself alone. 
 Pictures rose up in my mind of vague, empty shufflings, 
 of diplomatic periphrases, of slight coughs given to 
 gain a little time before speaking ; these and many 
 more such signs I was soon to be brought face to face 
 with. I was to learn that my fate lay in the hands of 
 those who study and practise, and finally excel in the 
 art of prevarication. 
 
 It was not long after my removal to the residence 
 of my kind friends, that the visit of Sir Bartle Frere, 
 afterwards Governor-General of South Africa — a 
 gentleman whom I had hitherto only known by name 
 — was announced to me. If ever I received a proof 
 of the truth of certain presentiments, it was on this 
 day, on which the hopes most dear to me and the 
 future of my children were buried for ever. A most 
 unpleasant feeling took possession of me the very 
 moment I beheld the great diplomate, who governed 
 my native country as he chose, and who held my 
 brother Bargasch altogether in his power. 
 
SEJID BARGASCH IN LONDON. 277 
 
 After an exchange of civilities, Sir Bartle began to 
 make inquiries about my affairs, and appeared par- 
 ticularly anxious to learn the reason of my visit to 
 London. I told him — although he seemed fully in- 
 formed on these points already — all about my wishes. 
 There was not much to tell after all, as I had only 
 the one thought of being reconciled to my relations. 
 
 My surprise may be more easily guessed than 
 described, when Sir Bartle, after I had done, put the 
 plain question to me : " What did I consider of greater 
 value to me — a reconciliation with my relations, or the 
 securing of my children's future prospects ? " Even 
 now I am unable to say what I felt on hearing these 
 words ; I had been prepared for anything but for this 
 question. I trust I shall not be accused of inconsis- 
 tency or of want of courage, if I wavered and hesi- 
 tated for a moment. What were my own personal 
 hopes and wishes when the welfare of my children was 
 at stake ? 
 
 After recovering somewhat from the surprise and 
 embarrassment into which this unexpected diplomatic 
 move had thrown me, I requested an explanation as 
 to the meaning of this question. Sir Bartle then 
 declared, and in a very decided manner too, that the 
 British Government was by no means disposed to 
 mediate between myself and my brother; and that, as 
 its guest, it would be highly unbecoming to cause him 
 any annoyance. 
 
 It is to this day a matter of grave doubt which 
 annoyance he would have considered the greater had 
 he been at all consulted in either matter ; signing the 
 slave treaty, and therewith giving a formal counte- 
 
278 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 nance to the English protectorate, or holding out a 
 reconciling hand to his sister. 
 
 On the other hand — and this was Sir Bartle's posi- 
 tive proposal — if I would promise not to approach my 
 brother during his London stay, either personally or 
 in writing, the British Government would undertake 
 to secure the future of my children. 
 
 I was as sad and disappointed as a person can be, 
 who, pining for a refreshing drink from a cool spring 
 after a long and dreary march, finds the longed-for 
 well closed up by some magic power. I had to choose 
 between two alternatives : to act either for myself, 
 and without any help from the British Government — 
 and this with the certain knowledge, that almost 
 unsurmountable obstacles would be raised in my way, 
 which I was too weak to overcome — or to accept the 
 proffered aid of the Government in the interest of 
 my children. Mindful of the promise I had given to 
 my motherly friend, Baroness D., at Dresden, not to 
 go alone and unprotected to my brother — though I 
 never doubted that he would respect English law 
 everywhere, and in England especially, if I were to 
 confront him suddenly — I finally accepted the proposal 
 of the British Government. 
 
 A proposal, however, so vague, that a friend of 
 mine could not refrain from inquiring of Sir Bartle 
 what inducement had actuated the Government to 
 take so sudden an interest in my affairs ; whereupon 
 the astute diplomate adduced three reasons : (1) We 
 do the Sultan a favour therewith ; (2) We keep the 
 princess quiet for a time, and (8) we deprive the 
 chancellor, Prince Bismarck, of all pretext of ever 
 
SEJID BARGASCH IN LONDON. 279 
 
 taking up the matter himself. All these reasons 
 seemed on the surface perfectly plausible and re- 
 assuring. 
 
 In order to avoid even the appearance of a pre- 
 meditated meeting with my brother, either in such 
 public buildings to which everybody has access, or 
 in the park and in the streets, I studied .the pro- 
 gramme of my brother's daily excursions in the 
 papers ; I even requested my kind hostess not to 
 take me with her in her drives ; but to this she would 
 not agree, saying that my health would suffer, and 
 proposed that we should take quite opposite routes, 
 and thus we went West when the Sultan had gone East, 
 and vice versa. Such a precaution was indispensable 
 as far as I was concerned, for I could not have 
 trusted myself to remain mistress of my feelings if a 
 meeting had taken place. On the other hand, there 
 was but little danger of a recognition on his part— my 
 own dear mother would not have known me again in 
 my present attire — much less any one of my brothers, 
 who had hardly ever had an opportunity of seeing 
 me without a mask. 
 
 I should have preferred to leave London at once, 
 where I had seen all my hopes destroyed, and to re- 
 turn home. But even this I was not allowed to do. 
 I had to stay many weeks longer far away from my 
 children, full of anxiety and care. Sir Bartle Frere 
 had so willed it. Before taking my departure I was 
 requested to send in a detailed memorial. Not only 
 was I wholly inexperienced and unversed in this 
 branch of business, but my sorrows had reduced my 
 mental energies almost to those of an automaton. 
 
2S0 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 I, therefore, with "what remaining hope I had of 
 eventual success, accepted the offer of my kind friends 
 to draw up the memorial for me, and after a pro- 
 tracted stay of seven weeks I was at last able to leave 
 England and to return to my children; but with what a 
 heavy heart I quitted its shores may be easily imagined ! 
 Zanzibar was already considered at that time a 
 future British colony, so my memorial was first to be 
 submitted to the Indian Government. Several months 
 had passed in nursing my hopes, when they were 
 suddenly broken in upon one morning by the receipt 
 of a letter from London, enclosing the copy of a 
 document, forwarded to me by the British Govern- 
 ment through Count Miinster, declining to enter upon 
 any of the terms of my petition that Sir Bartle had 
 so warmly urged upon me. As a reason for this 
 refusal was adduced : that, as I had married a 
 German, and was residing in German^ , my case came 
 within German jurisdiction. This flimsy prevari- 
 cation was the more contemptible, as I had asked no 
 alms of either of the two Governments, but, in the 
 name of justice, the moral support of both. Sir 
 Bartle Frere had himself incited the memorial — the 
 same diplomate who had shortly before annihilated 
 the object of my mission to London with the bribe of 
 securing the future of my children ! I had been 
 given to understand that the memorial was intended 
 to be a formal compliance on my part with the com- 
 pact the English Government had entered into with 
 me, and that the former would now carry out theirs 
 as I had carried out mine. But oh ! how dearly I 
 was to pay for my credulity ! 
 
SEJID BARGASCH IN LONDON. 281 
 
 My husband had been a German, and I, therefore, 
 would be regarded as a German subject also. Oh ! 
 now I perceive ! I could lay, of course, no claims to 
 English chivalry or generosity. And yet why, I ask 
 myself, had the truth of my nationality never been 
 realized till my concordance had been extorted ; why 
 did I receive strict injunctions to conform to the com- 
 pact as though it had been entered into with an 
 English woman. I can only explain it thus : that 
 until my brother had signed the treaty, and so long 
 as he was within reach of any hints I might feel in- 
 clined to give him, and be able to give him, from my 
 better knowledge of European tactics, I was bound 
 over on my honour, as any ordinary English citizen, 
 "to keep the peace," and thereby acknowledging my 
 power, as the Sultan's sister, of possibly " disturbing 
 it." But no sooner had my brother regained his 
 shores and I mine, than the last card was played, 
 and I suddenly became once more a pure German 
 subject. All this I concluded slowly and painfully, and 
 learnt subsequently that I had interpreted the whole 
 course of events rightly, that I was, in a word, the 
 victim of the "Humane Policy " adopted by Zanzibar. 
 Let me, however, here distinctly impress my readers 
 with the fact that though I may trace the source of 
 all my miseries to the wily machinations of the 
 Government of England, I feel in my heart not only 
 gratitude, but the deepest affectionate remembrance 
 of kindness and sympathy received at the hands of 
 English society. 
 
 19 
 
CHAPTEE XXXI. 
 
 HE -VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 
 
 When I wrote the preceding chapter some years ago, 
 I did certainly not dream of the possibility of ever 
 seeing the most ardent wish realized that filled my 
 thoughts and my very being. The eventful years 
 that had elapsed since I had last seen my dear home, 
 had been fraught with many storms and hardships. 
 I had meanwhile passed through the most wonderful 
 changes of life — I had outlived the most cruel trials. 
 Thanks to my good constitution, I was able to brave 
 all the rugged duties that devolve upon the dwellers 
 of the North, but only for the first few years. As 
 they went on I was made aware of my decreasing 
 powers of resistance. 
 
 About two years ago, I said one evening to my 
 two daughters : "Children, I cannot help thinking — 
 and have been pursued by the thought for some time 
 — that this would be a favourable moment for re- 
 turning to Zanzibar." I then explained my views 
 more fully. One of them reminded me of the evil 
 star that had frustrated so many of our dearest hopes, 
 and then drew a sad picture of the renewed anguish 
 and disappointment this enterprise might have in 
 
RE-VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 283 
 
 store for us. The other one, however, replied eagerly : 
 " No, mamma, nothing must be left untried. You 
 might reproach yourself afterwards with the thought 
 that you had missed the right moment." And she 
 thought as I did. 
 
 I took the necessary steps confidently, and w r as met 
 in high official quarters with a kind encouragement, 
 but the matter did not progress for a long time 
 After several disappointments, and when I had 
 already given up all hope of ever satisfying my 
 longing for home, I one day received a summons 
 from the foreign office to hold myself in readiness to 
 depart for Zanzibar shortly. The surprise caused by 
 this news was so overwhelming as almost to deprive 
 me for a time of all power of realizing my good 
 fortune. Next to God I felt most thankful to the 
 Government, and to our beloved emperor, for whom 
 I as well as my children will always preserve the 
 deepest gratitude. 
 
 I need not dwell on the preliminaries of our de- 
 parture — they were those usually accompanying' a 
 long voyage. And as for the political features of 
 the expedition, they were sufficiently explained by the 
 daily papers at the time. 
 
 On the 12th of July, 1885, I was to be at Port 
 Said. On the 1st of that month I left Berlin with 
 my children, and went via Breslau and Vienna to 
 Trieste, where we arrived on the 3rd. My children 
 were charmed with all the beauty they saw. As for 
 myself, I could not well help being more keen on the 
 issue than on the incidents of our journey. The 
 peace and quiet I had not known for weeks I found 
 
284 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 again on board the Lloyd steamer Venus after we had 
 put out to sea, and here I tasted the first sweet 
 enjo} T ments that offered on all sides. The weather 
 was so beautiful that we could remain on deck nearly 
 all day long. 
 
 On the 5th we touched at Corfu, visited the most 
 beautiful spots in the island by a few hours drive, 
 and rejoined our steamer in the afternoon, highly 
 pleased with what we had seen. Past barren Ithaca 
 on the south point of Greece, and lofty Candia, our 
 vessel brought us, on the 8th, to Alexandria. A 
 hushed and almost holy feeling of home overcame 
 me as I entered this city with palm-trees and minarets, 
 a feeling that can only be experienced but not 
 described, and which only those understand who 
 have, under similar circumstances, been long absent 
 from their home. Of the real South I had seen 
 nothing for nineteen years, and my winters had been 
 passed in Germany by the fireside. Busily as I had 
 always been engaged with the duties of house- 
 keeping, my thoughts had ever wandered far away. 
 To me the greatest pleasure and recreation had been 
 to sit down quietly and alone with a book all about 
 the South. Now that I was actually face to face 
 again with Eastern life in the bustling port of 
 Alexandria, I stood as one in a dream — afraid of 
 waking to the fact that I had only been steeped into 
 it by the perusal of some well-told, life-like de- 
 scription. 
 
 AYe were requested at the custom-house to show 
 our passports, but I had decided to give my name only 
 in case of absolute necessity, and I therefore asked 
 
HE-VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 285 
 
 my travelling companion if I might use one of her 
 own cards, and, curiously enough, this was considered 
 quite satisfactory, and we passed on. After this we 
 had positively to fight our way, with the help of 
 constables, through the clamouring crowd offering their 
 various services ; and finally, having reached a cab, we 
 got in and asked to be driven to the hotel. But even 
 here one of our persecutors managed to fasten him- 
 self on again, warning us, with much agitation, against 
 proceeding any further without his assistance as 
 interpreter, when, to his utter astonishment, I told 
 him in Arabic that we were perfectly able to take 
 care of ourselves. 
 
 The two days we spent in our expensive and dirty 
 hotel passed quickly enough. I was most delighted 
 with a visit to the Arab quarter, where I remained 
 for hours watching the ever-varying scenes of its 
 animated life. After being, eyed rather suspiciously 
 at first I began to talk to them in Arabic to their 
 intense astonishment. " Mother * " they cried on all 
 sides, " where didst thou learn to speak our language 
 so beautifully ? Surely thou must have been to 
 Bagdad ; how long didst thou live there ?" 
 
 Mhammed, our Arab cabdriver, soon took such a 
 fancy to us, that he beseeched me to take him with 
 me a3 my servant. He assured me he would serve us 
 faithfully all his life, and never touch a single bottle 
 of our wine. He was quite downcast when he came 
 next morning to drive us to the port, and I scarcely 
 knew how to console the poor fellow. 
 
 Our short stay at Alexandria had been a most 
 
 * " Mother " is a friendly term of address. 
 
286 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 happy one. After a passage of eighteen hours we 
 arrived at Port Said, where we went on board the 
 Adler, one of the tugs of the East African squadron. 
 Port Said is only a small harbour town, but every- 
 thing is to be obtained there, and the shops contain 
 everything one can possibly wish for. 
 
 Here the desert begins, through which runs the 
 "canal" that connects the Mediterranean and the 
 Eed Sea. The channel is so narrow that two ships 
 cannot pass each other ; crossing stations have 
 been established at various points, and their names 
 put up, as " Gare Limite Sud," or " Gare Lirnite 
 Nord." Ships have to wait here sometimes for 
 hours, until a vessel coming the other way has passed 
 the station. At Port Said or at Suez a channel- 
 pilot is taken on board every steamer, who under- 
 stmds the meaning of the ball-signals, indicating 
 by their number and position whether you may go on, 
 cr how many ships are expected to pass by. No ship 
 is allowed to go through the channel under full 
 stam, to prevent the undulation damaging the 
 sanely banks ; at night all traffic is stopped. Not- 
 withstanding these several hindrances, the passage 
 is quite an interesting one — especially when some of 
 the ships race through the large salt lake to reach 
 the canal first. 
 
 Near Suez the channel widens, and we entered the 
 Red Sea at last under "full steam." The heat, 
 which had been great before, became almost un- 
 bearable when we entered this branch of the sea 
 enclosed by high rocky walls. Yv T e could not keep a dry 
 thread on us night or day. I felt more at ease in 
 
RE-VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 28? 
 
 this, to me, familiar heat, than I had felt all the long 
 years I had been away ; but my children were quite 
 prostrated with it. The port holes could not be 
 opened, as the sea was running very high ; and the air 
 became so oppressive below that we preferred sleeping 
 on deck at night on chairs instead of retiring to our 
 cabins. 
 
 Seven days it took us to get to Aden, and in that 
 port we had to remain five days before the Adler 
 received orders at last to proceed on the voyage ; and 
 then who more rejoiced than myself ? I was to see 
 my home again at last in eight days more. 
 
 We had not suffered from a rough sea as far as 
 Aden, but hardly had we got clear of that rocky port, 
 when that fearful south-west monsoon began to blow. 
 We were now in those dangerous regions, where 
 H.M.S. A ugusta had gone down some weeks before. 
 One morning at eight w r e were just having breakfast 
 on deck with the officers, when the first tremendous 
 sea came over and speedily dispersed all the company. 
 And now began three awful days and nights ! We 
 were in the midst of an appalling hurricane. The 
 foam of the waves broke over the funnels, which, after 
 the storm was over, stood there perfectly white with 
 the brine. I must despair of giving an adequate 
 description of our dangerous situation ; and our bodily 
 sufferings and discomforts, too, were very great. The 
 pitching and rolling the first day made us, of course, 
 very ill, but our miseries even increased. Our cabins 
 were swamped, so that we could not get into them. 
 Indeed, in the face of our great danger, w r e did not 
 think of undressing for three nights running. We 
 
288 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 all had to sit in the gentlemen's saloon under um- 
 brellas, for although the ports and skylights were 
 tightly screwed down, and the latter covered with 
 tarpaulins — the state of our atmosphere may be better 
 imagined than described — the water oozed through 
 the decks. Toilet was dispensed with, for we had no 
 dry changes to replace the sopping garments we were 
 wearing. 
 
 After three days, at last the storm abated a little, 
 but though the sea still came over at times, we could at 
 least stay on deck, on a raised seat, under an awning. 
 
 My anxiety had naturally been very great at first, 
 but I soon became quite calm and composed, remem- 
 bering that we are at all times in God's hands, and 
 filled with gratitude that I had my three children 
 with me. 
 
 The island of Pemba came in sight on the 2nd of 
 August. The distance thence to Zanzibar is only 
 thirty miles, which can easily be travelled over in 
 three hours. As it grew dark we made for the north- 
 cape of Zanzibar, it being dangerous to enter the 
 port at night on account of the many sandbanks. 
 
 It was a curious coincidence that I was to see my 
 native home again in the same month in which I had 
 left it nineteen years before, and exactly on the same 
 day and at the same hour I had lost my husband 
 fifteen years ago. I need scarcely speak of my heart's 
 anguish on that day. Earlier than usual I retired to 
 my berth, but never closed an eye all night. My 
 whole soul shaped itself into a prayer, and God, in His 
 mercy, heard it, and gave me comfort once more. 
 
 Our ship drifted slowly during the night towards 
 
KE-VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 289 
 
 the lighthouse, and when I came on deck early in the 
 morning the palm-trees of my native home greeted me 
 from afar. At sight of them I again broke down. I 
 went back to my cabin and prayed. The conflict of 
 my feelings was only an echo of the many conflicts 
 my life had known. What indeed are we poor human 
 beings but frail skiffs tossed on the ocean of life. I 
 had left my native home an Arab and a true Ma- 
 hometan ; I returned an undeserving Christian, and 
 half a German. 
 
 But at this moment it was given me to live all my 
 youth over again. Eveiything stood vividly before 
 me, and the merry pictures of the past rose one by 
 one, and filled me with exultant joy. Even my happy, 
 light-hearted children seemed silent and thoughtful 
 in this hour. They clung to me all that day, and 
 through their glistening eyes I could read the sym- 
 pathy that their full hearts could not speak. Though 
 my life has been robbed of some of its dearest pos- 
 sessions, God, in His mercy, has made me rich in 
 giving me my loving children. 
 
 On nearing the town we learned, to our regret, that 
 the German squadron had not yet arrived. As the 
 Adler was to be of its number, chere was nothing for 
 us to do but to steam back to the e*ast coast of the 
 island, and wait about. In this manner we passed 
 eleven days. On the 11th of August at last the man 
 on the bridge called out, " Ship in sight ! " which, 
 however, did not raise great hopes in us, as we thought 
 it might be it passenger steamer. But very soon we 
 saw the vessel make straight for us, so we got up 
 steam, and hoisted our flag. The vessel turned out 
 
290 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS, 
 
 to be the tender Ehrenfels, "which had been in search 
 of us all the morning, to bring us the commodore's 
 order to come into port, the squadron having already 
 arrived there four days ago. We made for the port 
 at once, but could not run in that night. 
 
 Next morning at six o'clock we were all astir. Far 
 off in the distance we saw the forest of masts in port ; 
 steaming close in shore we passed many fine palm- 
 groves and small negro villages. Come to an anchor 
 at last, we found four German men-of-war present, 
 H.M. ships Stosch, Gneisefiau, Elisabeth, and Prince 
 Adalbert, two English men-of-war, five steamers of the 
 Sultan, and several sailing ships. 
 
 Commodore Paschen thought it advisable to treat 
 me at first as " secret cargo," a name which caused 
 much merriment to all the officers of the squadron. 
 However, on the arrival of Admiral Knorr in H.M.S. 
 Bismarck, matters were soon smoothed for me. I 
 was free to go on shore when I liked. Apart from the 
 feelings that moved me at seeing my home again, it 
 struck me as very strange that I should be able to 
 walk about those streets in broad day, accompanied by 
 gentlemen, where I had formerly only been permitted 
 to pass at night, veiled. It may be thought that, 
 after nineteen years of European life, I might have 
 got over this, but Zanzibar brought it back to me 
 with far greater force than Egypt, where I had been 
 twice since, and did not realize my emancipation 
 nearly so much. 
 
 I fancied I could see the most undisguised surprise 
 in the faces of all the people who crowded round us 
 when I visited the town for the first time. They 
 
RE-VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 291 
 
 pressed round me on all sides, calling out to me in 
 Arabic and Suakely, "How do you do, my mistress ? " 
 Large numbers collected in the narrow streets before 
 the shops we had gone into, but made room respect- 
 fully when we emerged again. Our escort increased 
 day by day, and the welcome on the part of the 
 inhabitants grew daily more cordial and more 
 affectionate. All this, of course, did not a little annoy 
 the Sultan and his counsellor, the British Consul- 
 General; the former even thought fit to have a number 
 of the persons whipped, who had followed us. He, as 
 well as the Consul-General, made a complaint to the 
 commander of the squadron about this friendly 
 demonstration in my favour. When I heard of this I 
 thought it best to tell the people not to accompany me 
 any more, but they replied that no fear of punishment 
 should prevent them from showing their joy at 
 seeing me again. 
 
 Frequently slaves came up to me cautiously, to 
 bring me their master's compliments. I was begged 
 not to have any doubt of their attachment and fidelity; 
 the}' placed their houses at my disposal, and expressed 
 their earnest desire to pay me visits on board. These 
 slaves also brought me letters secretly, which, in the 
 absence of pockets, they had concealed in their tiny 
 caps. In passing the houses I often saw a troop of 
 ladies retire behind a door w r hen they saw me in the 
 distance, and on my approach they would either 
 address me or merely call down a blessing — such as : 
 "God be with you and keep you in good health." My 
 brothers and sisters, my relations and old friends, 
 asked me frequently to come and see them, but I 
 
292 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 always declined their kindly invitations, not from any 
 lurking resentment of former days, far from it, for 
 my heart yearned for my own flesh and blood ; but 
 circumstances compelled me to act as I did. 
 
 Whenever we passed the palace in boats, or walked 
 under the windows of the harem, we could see the 
 wives of the Sultan waving their hands to us in a 
 friendly manner. As I was accompanied on these 
 excursions by several naval officers, I had to request 
 these gentlemen, in the interest of the women, not to 
 salute in return, not wishing to be the ruin of these 
 imprudent fair ones. I avoided doing so myself, for I 
 had been told that their lord and master was in the 
 habit of concealing himself in some place from which 
 he could easily watch and find out all that passed on 
 the sea and in the streets unknown to them, and then 
 follow up his discoveries with cruel punishments. 
 This is not conjecture, but a fact well known ; even to 
 the Europeans in Zanzibar that happened scarcely a 
 year ago. The Sultan from his hidden post had seen 
 a Portuguese, gliding past on the water, bow to his 
 favourite, a beautiful Circassian, and also saw her 
 return the greeting ; a custom she was by no means 
 alone, or the first in observing, for thirty years ago, 
 when I was quite a child, the English and French 
 naval officers, who visited our island, and the foreign 
 residents, always bowed to us, and we as invariably 
 returned their courteous salutation ; our gentlemen 
 had never objected to it, and no one saw any harm in 
 it. Bargasch, however, was of a different opinion ; 
 he whipped his Circassian for the crime she had 
 committed, with his own hands, and in so cruel a 
 
RE-VISITTNG MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 293 
 
 manner that she expired some days afterwards in 
 consequence. He is said to have entreated, vainly 
 however, her. pardon on her death-bed, and even now 
 has prayers said over her grave. 
 
 On our excursions into the interior we often 
 encountered people mounted on donkeys. To show 
 us their respect they always dismounted, led their 
 beasts past, and then only remounted. Nor could 
 any punishment inflicted by the Sultan make the 
 inhabitants desist in showing their attachment, and 
 it must have vexed him to hear the crowd crying 
 beneath his palace windows: "Kuaheri Bibi ! Kuaheri 
 Bibi ! " (Farewell, Mistress ! ) every time we got into 
 our boat to return on board. I was told that when- 
 ever we neared the shore somebody would beat an old 
 biscuit-tin like a drum to summon the people together. 
 
 Of course w 7 e w r ere well set round with spies, mostly 
 Hindoos, but to their great disgust we only conversed 
 in German. Even on the night preceding our depar- 
 ture two of my friends (who had come on board to bid 
 me good-bye under the shelter of darkness) called my 
 attention to the dusky figure of a man, who had often 
 honoured- our ship with his presence in the guise of a 
 hawker, and who in truth was a very active and clever 
 tool employed by the now influential but former lamp- 
 cleaner and court-barber, Madoldji Pera Daudji. 
 
 This Pera Daudji, a very wily and cunning Hindoo, 
 has become the Sultan's jack-of-all-trades. The lamp- 
 cleaner of old now devotes his services to the sovereign 
 of Zanzibar in the highest and lowest positions. All 
 diplomatic negotiations pass through his hands, but 
 the same hands wait upon the guests of the Sultan's 
 
294 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 table. His salaiy, thirty dollars a month, every one 
 will admit to be a low one, but I was told that he 
 made it worth any one's while to increase it. This 
 omnipotent Pera Daudji is not above bartering his 
 influence. Of course, his thirty dollars, that do not 
 even suffice to pay for his costly dresses, are replenished 
 from other sources of revenue. The court jeweller, 
 who refused to give a certain percentage on all orders 
 to the ex-lamp-cleaner, lost his custom in consequence. 
 Pera Daudji honoured and. entrusted a more accom- 
 modating competitor with the execution of such 
 orders. 
 
 My birthday happened to fall in this time, and 
 now I celebrated the same for the first time in 
 my native country, where it is not customary so 
 do so. The officers of the squadron did all they 
 could to make this day a real festive one to me, 
 and they succeeded well. I can hardly thank them 
 sufficiently for all their kindness. One very remark- 
 able thing happened on this occasion. In honour of 
 my birthday (a born Mahometan's !) a pig was killed 
 on board the Acller, and almost in sight of Islam's 
 most faithful worshippers. If this had been predicted 
 to me nineteen years ago by the cleverest of our 
 fortune-tellers, I should have scorned the idea, in 
 spite of all superstition. 
 
 Viewed from the sea, the town of Zanzibar made 
 upon me quite as favourable an impression as it had 
 done of old. Perhaps it looked even more pleasant 
 now, many new houses have been built, the lighthouse 
 in front of the palace, lighted by electricity, looks 
 really quite fine. By the officers it was always called 
 
RE-VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 295 
 
 the Sultan's Christmas-tree, on account of its many 
 rows of lamps. I was much less pleased with the 
 appearance of the inner town. 
 
 During my long residence in Europe I may perhaps 
 have become more fastidious than Oriental practice 
 will allow of; I thought the inner town in a sad con- 
 dition of untidiness. Nearly every house in the 
 narrow and dirty streets was a heap of ruins. Weeds 
 grew everywhere, and even big trees nourished amidst 
 these ruins. No one seemed to care; people in the 
 most natural manner were picking their way over 
 ash-heaps and waterpools. The introduction of a 
 good Board of Works does not seem to be quite so 
 easy, otherwise this state of affairs would have been 
 remedied by the Sultan long since, who has had 
 sufficient opportunity during his stay at Bombay, as 
 well as in England and France, to become acquainted 
 with clean streets. But he has deemed it necessary 
 to introduce the manufacture of ice, also electric light, 
 a so-called railway and, I know not what else in 
 Zanzibar, not to mention French cooks and French 
 gastronomy. 
 
 The evident decay of the heart of the town struck 
 me painfully indeed. I had not then an idea of the 
 condition in which I was to see my old Bet il Mtoni 
 again, or Bet il Bas, that was only just finished when 
 I left. I was deeply moved when we went to revisit 
 the house in which I was born. What a sight ! In 
 place of a palace there was nothing but a fast decay- 
 ing ruin ; one of the staircases had altogether 
 disappeared, the other was choked with weeds, and so 
 tottering that it could not be ascended without peril. 
 
296 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 More than half of the house was a rubbish heap, 
 just left as it had tumbled down; the baths, once 
 such a favourite place of resort, and always filled 
 with a merry throng, had lost their roofs; ruins 
 again indicating the place where some of them had 
 been. There I stood, gazing with burning eyes at the 
 neglect and desolation around with the recollection of 
 former and happier days filling my heart with a pain- 
 ful mockery of all things earthly and human. 
 
 My companions little knew what anguish was 
 mine — they laughed or chatted, or played on those 
 heaps. Had I suspected what was awaiting me in the 
 old house of my birth, I should have paid it a pre- 
 liminary visit by myself. The figures of former 
 residents seemed to me to be hovering around and 
 gliding from under the dangerously-leaning roofs, the 
 half-hanging doors and falling beams. More and 
 more vividly did their faces and shapes grow upon 
 me. I was moving in their midst, and could hear 
 their own familiar voices. How long this delusion 
 lasted I know not, but I was suddenly roused into the 
 actual present again by the kind ofiicers and my 
 children coming to draw me away from the scenes 
 that affected me so deeply. 
 
 It is commonly thought, but without reason, that 
 the Arabs, in token of their love and respect to then- 
 dead, allow the houses formerly inhabited by them 
 to fall into ruins. This is incorrect — it is not this 
 sentiment, but their innate indolence that makes them 
 look with indifference on decay. Arab houses are but 
 seldom repaired or renovated — their lime and bricks 
 are of a nature to be easily decomposed by the climate 
 
RE-VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 297 
 
 —so that when a house gets rather too much out of 
 repair, a new one is built instead, and the old one is 
 left to crumble away. The value of building ground 
 is merely a nominal one. 
 
 My nephew, Ali ben Sund, the son of Zuene, had 
 lived, up to his death, in one part of the house, 
 which still contained a few comparatively well- 
 preserved rooms. His attachment to the old ancestral 
 seat of our family was so great that he could never 
 live anywhere else, and so he died in this place two 
 years ago. 
 
 In this wing we found two Arab soldiers, who had 
 come from Oman but a few months previously. They 
 had left their families at home, hoping to take back 
 to them some of their earnings from the wealthy 
 Zanzibar ; but so far they had fared very badly, and 
 were yearning to get back to Meskefc as soon as they 
 possibly could. Both complained of bodily afflictions, 
 and begged me to cure them ; one of them had sore 
 eyes, and the other some internal disease. 
 
 When I inquired, somewhat surprised, why they 
 lived in the ruins, I was told that they were not 
 alone, b.ut only formed part of the guard, which, 
 incredible as it may appear, were set to watch over 
 the ruins. This, I should think, could hardly have 
 been a military measure, but probably one connected 
 with the dread of the evil one. I may, however, be 
 mistaken in this, as I have for too long a period lost 
 sight of this kind of superstition and its adherents. 
 
 As a memento I took with me some grasses, a few 
 leaves, and a stone I found in the niche where my 
 
 dear father used to say his prayers. 
 
 20 
 
298 MEMOIES OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 On leaving the house a well-dressed, rather dis- 
 tinguished-looking Arab came up to us, introducing 
 himself as the commanding officer of the guard. He 
 remained some time with us, and finally escorted us 
 to our boat. On approaching the Mtoni we ob- 
 served a venerable old man standing in it, engaged 
 in ablutions previous to saying his prayers ; and 
 when we came nearer we saw that he was stone- 
 blind. Since my arrival at Zanzibar I had made it 
 a point never to be the first in addressing any one, so 
 as to get them into no trouble ; but in this case, and 
 with a blind man, I thought I might make an excep- 
 tion, so I went up to him, and wished him good 
 evening in Arabic, not without some misgiving for 
 disturbing him at his devotien, and I, a Christian too, 
 was not calculated to draw forth a pleasant acknow- 
 ledgment, especially as he could hear that we were 
 a European party. I was not a little surprised how- 
 ever when he stretched forth both his hands, drew 
 mine to his lips, and pressed them for a while to his 
 face. I was really touched, and wished to remove 
 the doubt of being mistaken for some other person. 
 " But do you know who I am ? " I asked. " Indeed, 
 I do know you," he replied, " are you not my mistress 
 Salme, whom I have often carried about as a child ? 
 Oh, we were so rejoiced when we heard you had come 
 back. God help and protect you, you who are so dear 
 to us all ! " Such and other words like these the 
 poor helpless blind man addressed to us on parting. 
 The Arab officer, who had been a witness to this 
 proof of faithful attachment, told me the old man 
 acted as the Muedden (Muezzin) to the colony of Bet 
 
RE- VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 299 
 
 il Mtoni, and was at the same time appointed by the 
 Sultan to say prayers over the tomb of Abd il Sund, 
 whom the latter had so bitterly persecuted all his 
 life. 
 
 The last remark struck me particularly, for I was 
 quite well aware of the heartless and yet childish 
 conduct of Bargasch to Ali ben Sund, and to my 
 elder sister Eaje. Eaje, a real sister of Ali's mother, 
 removed to Zanzibar from Mesket at a pretty ad- 
 vanced age some years ago, and was provided by the 
 Sultan with a house and an annuity. It was but 
 natural that his aunt Eaje went to nurse him, when 
 Ali ben Sund, who, without any cause whatever, had 
 incurred the bitter hatred of Bargasch, was lying 
 mortally ill at Bet il Mtoni, having no wife or 
 children to look after him. But Bargasch disapproved 
 of the step she had taken — he was perfectly unable to 
 understand or to appreciate any service of charity, or 
 to show compassion. To make her feel his wrath, he 
 not only withdrew her annuity, but actually, without 
 any compensation, deprived his aged sister, who was 
 old enough to be his mother, of her home. He did 
 not appear at Ali's burial, a disregard hardly ever 
 shown even to an enemy. And now he has prayers 
 said over his grave ! What unaccountable conduct ! 
 
 As I am just talking about the head of our family 
 in Zanzibar, I am tempted to lift the veil from 
 another part of his life's history. I might feel a great 
 reluctance to make known to the world the wickedness 
 of people of my own blood — in spite of the many years 
 I have been alienated from them, and notwithstanding 
 the heartlessness and harshness shown to me by the 
 
800 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 same Bargasch, in whose interest I have risked and 
 imperilled mj life and my fortune, for we cannot, do 
 what we may, wipe out a certain compassion for the 
 flesh of our flesh — were it not that Bargasch's bowels 
 of mercy are closed alike against subject and relation. 
 
 It is a fact well-known in Zanzibar that Bargasch, 
 on coming to the throne in 1870, suddenly, and 
 without any cause, cast our second youngest brother 
 Chalife into prison. The poor fellow there languished 
 upwards of three years heavily chained, with irons on 
 his legs. An explanation hereof could only be 
 guessed — Bargasch probably feared that Chalife, 
 being next in succession, might behave to him in the 
 same dastardly and treacherous manner as he had 
 done himself to Madjid. 
 
 His conscience, however, suddenly smote him. 
 When one of his sisters, whom he had likewise 
 injured, was about to set out on a pilgrimage to 
 Mecca, and dreading the efficacy of a curse pro- 
 nounced in the holy city of the Prophet, he went to 
 her to beg forgiveness. But his sister positively 
 refused it until he had set Chalife free again. 
 
 In spite of this, he continued to have Chalife and 
 his friends continually watched, and soon found out 
 that the latter had a very faithful and wealthy friend. 
 He well remembered the time when it had been a 
 matter of great importance to himself to be allied to 
 rich chiefs ; nevertheless, he determined to deprive 
 the successor to the throne, at any cost, of such 
 valuable adhesion and assistance. 
 
 He sent for Chalife's friend, and thus briefly 
 announced : " I understand you intend to sell your 
 
RE-VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 301 
 
 plantations ; tell me the price you want for them, as 
 I should like to buy them." " That must be a mis- 
 take," the man replied, " I never had the least inten- 
 tion to sell my property." " It will be to your own 
 advantage, however, if ycu do sell them to me," he 
 was answered. " Now go and consider the matter." 
 
 Some time after, the unfortunate man was again 
 summoned before the Sultan, and received with the 
 following words : " Tell me, now, what is the price 
 for your plantations?" "I have never thought of 
 selling any of them, your Highness." "It is quite 
 indifferent to me what you think. I shall give you 
 50,000 dollars for them. Here is a cheque for the 
 amount ; go and make yourself paid." 
 
 The poor fellow departed perfectly heartbroken from 
 the presence of the man who in this manner acts as 
 the " father of his people." But even here the 
 mortification did not stop. When about to cash his 
 cheque, he was informed that the whole amount was 
 payable only within twenty years, in annual instal- 
 ments of 2,500 dollars, the first of which was at his 
 command now. The poor man was completely ruined, 
 just what the Sultan wanted. 
 
 Another occurrence makes me blush w 7 ith shame, 
 and fills me with the deepest pity. One of my sisters 
 had been most vilely calumniated — she was said to 
 love some one whom Bargasch objected to as brother- 
 in-law. When he heard of this report he went to her 
 himself, and taxed her with it. In vain she protested 
 her innocence and utter ignorance of the whole 
 matter — the conscientious brother carried duty so far 
 as to personally administer fifty lashes to his own 
 
802 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 sister ! In consequence of this brutal treatment the 
 poor girl was ill in bed for more than a month, and 
 suffered from the effects long after. I have no doubt 
 that he will have prayers said over her grave after her 
 death as he does over those of his wife and of Ali 
 ben Sund. 
 
 Europeans may frequently be heard to praise the 
 engaging manners of the sovereign of Zanzibar. 
 From the above it may easily be judged how much 
 of this praise is deserved. One thing, however, is 
 certain, that from the bottom of his heart Bargasch 
 has never hated anything so much as the mere name 
 of Europeans. 
 
 It may be presumed that I did not expect much 
 from him as to my private claims. The press made 
 a gratuitous statement that I had returned to Europe 
 in full possession of my inheritance, consisting of the 
 proceeds from the sale of no less than twenty-eight 
 houses. This is absolutely untrue; I have not re- 
 ceived a penny, and my claims — admitted as just 
 ones even by the British Consul-General, and that is 
 saying a great deal — remain unsettled to this day. 
 My generous brother offered to pay me the large sum 
 of 6,000 rupees in full settlement of all my claims, 
 which kind offer I declined with thanks, this sum 
 being only the merest fraction of what I am entitled 
 to. Five of my brothers, five sisters, my aunt Asche, 
 three nephews, one niece, and a very rich stepmother 
 of mine, have died since he has held the reins of 
 government ; and I am entitled to part of the inheri- 
 tance from all these. The Sultan waived, under some 
 futile pretext, our reconciliation urged by the German 
 
RE-VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 303 
 
 Government; and no doubt his delight was great 
 when their interest in my cause was finally sub- 
 merged by political ones. 
 
 Everything was tried from official quarters to set 
 the people against me. Some of our officers had asked 
 me to select for them some articles of jewellery they 
 wished to take home to their friends. To get these 
 we went several times to a jeweller, who worked also 
 for the Sultan, without our being aware of it. 
 
 The Sultan no sooner heard of our purchases from 
 his faithful Pera Daudji, who had to report all news 
 to him, than he sent for the jeweller, upon whom he 
 poured out the full measure of wrath and abuse for 
 daring to sell us his wares. But the tradesman, gene- 
 rally so pliant, quietly replied he could not presume 
 to turn his master's sister out of his shop. This 
 answer displeased the Sultan still more, so he 
 threatened to withdraw his custom altogether. But 
 the jeweller, with great composure, announced the 
 fact that he had for some time contemplated taking 
 his departure from Zanzibar, and that he would 
 embrace this opportunity for shutting up his shop, 
 and thereby avoid giving me offence. 
 
 In the same way an attempt to annoy me was made 
 by prohibiting the owners of donkeys to let out their 
 beasts to me, while some of my former slaves, who 
 had ventured to pay me a visit, were imprisoned. 
 
 Such and other absurd measures were taken, but 
 had just the opposite effect. The people gave their 
 opinion of such proceedings in words like these: "Pija 
 kana kasi ja watoto, Bibi ! " (He just behaves like 
 a little child, Mistress !) 
 
304 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 When I arrived at Zanzibar I was doubtful of the 
 reception I should meet with there, but confident, too, 
 that my brother would not delay in carrying out the 
 expressed wishes of Germany, and I was not mistaken. 
 He would, at all events, out of respect for Germany, 
 tolerate me. But the bad treatment that my other 
 brothers and sisters had experienced at his hands 
 could hardly lead me to expect any friendly advances 
 on his part ; and, as for the rest of the inhabitants, it 
 gives me the greatest pleasure to state that they gave 
 me tokens of their kindly feelings only. Arabs, 
 Hindoos, Banyans, and natives repeatedly entreated 
 me to remain in Zanzibar for good, which could only 
 strengthen my belief that there was no religious aver- 
 sion felt for me. One day I met two Arabs, with 
 whom I entered into conversation. Hearing from a 
 third person that they were relations of mine — I had 
 not recognized them — I told them afterwards I should 
 not have addressed them had I been aware of this, as 
 I knew my relations were not all inclined to be friends 
 with me. But they both replied at once that, what- 
 ever happened, they could never forget that I was the 
 daughter of my father. And when I touched upon the 
 religious question, one of them said " this fate had 
 been destined to me from the beginning of the world." 
 " The God who has severed you and us from our 
 home is the same God whom all men adore and 
 revere. His mighty will has brought you back to us, 
 and we all rejoice at it. And now you and your 
 children will stay with us henceforth, will you not ? " 
 
 Proofs of affection and love like these, and the deep 
 and indescribable joy of beholding my native land' 
 
RE- VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 305 
 
 once more, will always associate that voyage with 
 some of the sweetest hours of my life. 
 
 But the hour for parting came at last and found me 
 oh ! so loath to say a long farewell once more to the 
 few but very dear friends I had still. They fully 
 shared my grief, and perhaps I could convey its ex- 
 pression best to my readers, and thereby put a fitting 
 close to my book, by giving the English rendering of 
 a letter that they jointly sent to me after I had reached 
 Germany again. But its sweet tenderness and origi- 
 nality I cannot reproduce: — 
 
 You went from us without a word at parting ; 
 This has torn my heart, and filled my soul with sorrow. 
 ! that I had clung to your neck when you departed hence, 
 You might have sat on my head, and walked on my eyes ! 
 
 You live in my heart, and when you went 
 
 You poured grief into my soul such as I ne'er felt before ; 
 
 My body is wasted, and my tears fall fast 
 
 One after one down my cheek like the waves of the sea. 
 
 O Lord of the universe, let us meet again ere we die I 
 
 Be it only one single day before death. 
 
 If we live, we meet again ; 
 
 When we are dead, the Immortal One remains I 
 
 1 that I were a bird to soar to thee on wings of love ; 
 But how can the bird soar whose wings are clipped ? 
 
 In the foregoing pages I have endeavoured to draw a 
 picture of Oriental life and its customs, especially with 
 regard to life at Court, and the position of woman in 
 the East. Some of the subjects contained in this book 
 may be thought to possess less general interest, but, 
 
306 MEMOIRS OF AN ARABIAN PRINCESS. 
 
 'as part of the whole, my description would have been 
 incomplete without them. It must be remembered 
 that I have not been writing a novel or a tale of 
 fiction, but the faithful recollections connected with 
 the life of my native land in all its phases. 
 
 If I have naturally felt tempted to exa'ft such of our 
 customs and institutions which, in my opinion, are 
 deserving of commendation, I have, on the other hand, 
 never endeavoured to excuse or disguise others which, 
 in the eyes of more highly-cultured nations at least, 
 may justly be ridiculed or thought objectionable ; and 
 if, in drawing comparisons between foreign and 
 Eastern customs, I have not shrunk from speaking 
 my mind openly and candidly, and have sometimes 
 sent home a shaft, I may aver, in justice to myself, 
 that I have by no means spared myself, but have 
 readily and frankly admitted the errors into which I 
 fell. 
 
 Even in this century of railroads and rapid commu- 
 nication, so much ignorance still exists among Euro- 
 pean nations of the customs and institutions of their 
 own immediate neighbours, that one can hardly 
 wonder how little is actually known about those of 
 races far removed. The ablest and most conscientious 
 writer must always, to some degree, fall short of 
 giving a perfectly precise and faithful picture of a 
 foreign nation; and, in the case of an Eastern nation, 
 he will, of course, find himself heavily handicapped 
 out of all proportion when family and domestic life 
 generally is so jealously guarded from the gaze of the 
 outer world. 
 
 Having been born and bred in the East, I am in a 
 
RE-VISITING MY HOME AFTER NINETEEN YEARS. 307 
 
 position to set down the unvarnished reflection of my 
 Oriental experiences — of its high life and its low life — 
 to speak of many peculiarities, and lift the veil from 
 things that are always hidden from profane eyes. 
 This, I hope, will constitute the main value of my 
 book, and my object will have been fully gained if I 
 have been able to contribute my share, and, above all, 
 if I have succeeded in removing many misconceptions 
 and distortions current about the East. 
 
 My task is done — and, in conclusion, it only re- 
 mains for me to say farewell to my kind readers, who 
 have followed me through these pages, and who, I 
 trust, will always bear a friendly memory for one 
 whose life has already gathered so rich a store of 
 changes and vicissitudes. 
 
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