Egypt : handbook for travellers : part first, lower Egypt, with the Fayum and the peninsula of Sinai . of the Copts, Jews, and other non-Muslim citizens, aregenerally of a dark colour, those of the Copts being blue, andthose of the Jews yellow, in accordance with a decree issued infcfie 11th century (jp. 242). Blue is also the colour indicative ofmourning. The Women of the poorer and rustic classes wear no-thing but a blue gown and a veil. Their ornaments consist of silveror enpper bracelets, earrings, and ankle-rings, while their chins,anus, and chests are often tatooed with blue marks. In Up
Egypt : handbook for travellers : part first, lower Egypt, with the Fayum and the peninsula of Sinai . of the Copts, Jews, and other non-Muslim citizens, aregenerally of a dark colour, those of the Copts being blue, andthose of the Jews yellow, in accordance with a decree issued infcfie 11th century (jp. 242). Blue is also the colour indicative ofmourning. The Women of the poorer and rustic classes wear no-thing but a blue gown and a veil. Their ornaments consist of silveror enpper bracelets, earrings, and ankle-rings, while their chins,anus, and chests are often tatooed with blue marks. In Uppernose-rings are also frequently seen. The women of theupper classes are never so handsomely dressed in the streets asie. Their figures, in early life, are generally upright andgraceful. The) colour their eyelashes and eyelids dark, ami theirAnger and toe-nails with henna, which gives them a brownishtint. When equipped for riding or walking, most ladieswear a light-coloured silk cloak, with very wide sleeves (t6b : attire. They also don the burko, or veil, Street Scenes. CAIRO. 3. Route. 247. which consists of a long strip of muslin, covering the whole of theface except the eyes, and reaching nearly to the feet. Lastly theyput on the habara, a kind of mantle, which in the case of mar-ried women consists of two breadths ofglossy black silk. Thus disguised, theylook unnaturally broad and unwieldy, andnot unlike bats. The wealthier ladies, whodrive in their carriages attended by eunuchs,usually veil their faces up to their eyeswith thin gauze in accordance with thefashion of Constantinople. With regard tocircumcision, weddings, and funerals, theceremonies attending which are similar inall the Egyptian towns, see p. 153. Amongother customs we may also mention thepeculiar mode in which a woman carries herchild, either astride her shoulder, or rest-ing on her hip. Amid this busy throng of men and ani-mals resound the various cries of street-ven-dors and other persons who transa
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