Part 52

FINIS.

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Footnote 1:

Borak is the animal upon which Mohammed was mounted when he made his journey through the heavens. It was like a mule, and was neither male nor female.

Footnote 2:

It is distinguished by the size of the respiratory duct, which enables it to accomplish fabulous journeys.

Footnote 3:

A kilogramme is equal to 2-1/5 lb., a hectogramme to rather more than 3-1/2 ozs, and a décagramme is the 100th part of a kilogramme.

Footnote 4:

I know for a fact that in certain Mussulman countries in the list of obligatory presents for a Christian personage, the donor wrote down: Kidar ala Khrater er-Roumi—"a jade for the Christian."

Footnote 5:

The eye of the Arab stirrup invariably produce exostoses on the front part of the leg. By them you may distinguish at once the rich man from the poor, the cavalier from the man on foot.

Footnote 6:

Mebrouk is Arabic for "the fortunate one."

Footnote 7:

Guebla, the south, the Sahara, the desert.

Footnote 8:

Djellals are woollen cloths more or less ornamented with designs according to the wealth of the chief. They are very wide and extremely warm, and cover both the chest and the croup.

Footnote 9:

Slaves from Kora are in great request among the Mussulmans. They learn Arabic with great difficulty, but they are very attentive to their duties, and much attached to their masters.

Footnote 10:

What the Arabs understand by the evil eye is this: Some one may say to you: "Oh! what a beautiful horse, what a beautiful mare you have there!" Fear the worst from such a one, for he has only spoken out of envy. If he had meant it in real kindliness, he would not have failed to have added: "Allah protect you, or grant you his blessing." It is not every one, however, who has the evil eye.

Footnote 11:

Red and all the brilliant colours fall to the lot of good fortune, in the eyes of the Arabs; while the sombre hues, and especially yellow, indicate misfortune.

Footnote 12:

The Arabs consider as green the colour we call a deep yellow dun, especially when it approaches to that of a ripening olive.

Footnote 13:

The Arabs call blue the horse of a grayish colour shot like a starling's back.