HOW ARABS DIXE. 253 house says " Bismillah," and begins to eat, the guests following his example. The right thumb and two fingers suffice for eyerything except the soup ; small pieces of bread are broken off and dipped into the dishes, while at the same time a piece of meat or vegetable is taken up, all food being prepared so that it can be easily grasped. The left hand is scarcely ever used, as it is considered to be unclean.

If a fowl be on the table, it does not give so much trouble as might be imagined, for several of the guests take hold of it, and it is soon torn to pieces of the convenient size. A whole sheep or goat stuffed with ground-nuts is perhaps one of the dishes, but it is always so well cooked that it is easily divided. It is thought to be a mark of respect for a tit-bit to be given from one to another. At- some of the great dinners thirty or forty dishes will be served, one after the other, and naturally only small portions of each are consumed. Several servants stand round, holding cups filled with water, but as a rule Arabs do not drink until the meal is nearly at an end.

If there are many flies about, servants are engaged in driving them away with fly-fans, and at night lanterns are held round the table. The last dish placed on the table is always rice, but the guests are usually warned a remove or two previous to its appearance, so that if any one has not eaten enough, there is opportunity given to fill up the deficiency.

"When a guest has eaten as much as he requires, he