HABITS AND CUSTOMS. 69 hair into curls, smearing them well with butter or oil made of sim-sim * They anoint the skin of the whole body with a pomatum prepared of spikenard,f mahleb,:}: and tuffer ;J these ingredients, rubbed down upon a stone, are called " telka." The oils and butter give the hair a certain gloss, as long as it is free from dust ; but the pomatum on the head soon becomes rancid, when it is impossible to remain long in jiroximity of one of these beauties, without offence to the olfactory nerves. Their eyelids are covered with powdered antimony. || Women who pride themselves on their head-dress, and do not wish to discompose their curls, make use of a small wooden bench, about a span in height, and hollowed out above, so as to admit the neck, as a pillow when they lie down to sleep, in order to avoid pressing their curls. It is the most incommodious pillow in the world, but the women, to gratify vanity, accustom themselves to it, as the slave becomes inured to his fetters, and sleep very well, notwithstanding the uncomfortable position they are obliged to adopt. An idea may be formed of the hardship they have at first to undergo, in • The Arab term for the Sesamum. Tb.

t Spica nan/us ; Valeriana celtica.—Tr.

X The fruit of the prunus mahaleb, or perfumed cherry, a native of Austria. Tr.

§ Dhofer is the shell of an animal found on the Red Sea, cut into small pieces and used as a perfume, emitting a pleasant odour when held over the fire. Burckhardt's Travels in Nubia, p. 2 8 6. Tr.

II The use of Kophel is of very great antiquity, and is mentioned in the New Testament by the term (mfiluy . Tr.