I finished these pages some years ago, and only the last chapter forms a
recent addition, made because of a voyage I undertook to my old home,
Zanzibar, with my children. May my book go out into to the world, and
may it meet with as many friends as was my happy lot to find.
Berlin, May, 1886.
EMILY RUETE, nŽe Princess of Oman and Zanzibar.
CONTENTS
AUTHENTICITY OF THESE MEMOIRS.
PREFACE.
CHAPTER I.
FAMILY HISTORY. The Palace of Bet il Mtoni - The Bath-houses -
Equestrian and Other Amusements - Princess Salamah's Father -
Purchase of her Mother - Seyyid Sa•d's Principal and Secondary Wives
- His Children - The Benjile - A Question of Discipline - Brother Majid
Reaches his Majority - The Authoress's First Change of Residence.
CHAPTER II.
BET IL WATORO. Mahometan Belief in Foreordination - Parting
Gifts - A Little Journey by State Cutter - Bet il Watoro - Arabian House
Furniture and Decoration - Homesickness - Majid's Fighting-cocks -
Amazonian Accomplishments - Oral Messages and Written - Chaduji
the Haughty.
CHAPTER III.
BET IL SAHEL. A Cross-grained Doorkeeper - Fascinations of Chole -
The Veranda at Bet il Sahel - Life in the Courtyard - An Outdoor
Butchery, Kitchen, and Larder - Love of Arabs for their Horses - Social
Distinctions at Table - Why Bet il Sahel was Preferable to Bet il Mtoni
- Race Hatred between Circassians and Abyssinians - Curshit -
Enforced Tuition.
CHAPTER IV.
FURTHER REMINISCENCES OF CHILDHOOD. Juvenile Tricks -
Princess Salamah Climbs a Palm Tree - Majid's Seizure - A Family
Quarrel which Ends in Divorce and Another Change of Abode for the
Authoress - Extravagance of a Persian Sultana - More Divorce -
Lessons in Caligraphy.
CHAPTER V.
NATIONAL SINGULARITIES. The Vaunted Activity of Northern
Peoples - Infant Dress - A Climate Favouring Ease - Prayer Five Times
a Day - Intervening Pursuits - Chewing Betel - Going to Bed - Menu ˆ
la Zanzibar - Real Coffee.
CHAPTER VI.
CEREMONIES FOR NEWLY BORN. Birth - Tight Bandaging -
Shaving of the Head - Protection Against the Evil Eye - The Sitting
Ceremony - Black Nurses and European - Hardiness of Oriental
Children.
CHAPTER VII.
SCHOOL. An Outdoor Classroom - Primitive Apparatus for Study -
Play before Work - The Course of Instruction - Verbal Term Reports -
Bribing the Schoolmarm - Defects of European Education - Civilisation
and Religion.
CHAPTER VIII.
FEMALE FASHIONS. Yearly Distribution of Clothing Materials -
Simple Wants of Arabian Women - The Shale - The Rainy Season.
CHAPTER IX.
THE SULTAN'S VOYAGE TO OMAN. Persian Hostility in Asia -
Provisioning the Ships - Relatives in Oman - Difficulties of
Corresponding with Them - The Departure - Khaled Represents Seyyid
Sa•d - Chole as Lady Superintendent - The Sultan's Strangely
Prolonged Absence - Resort to Professional Seers - Soothsaying by
Ventriloquism.
CHAPTER X.
DEATH OF SEYYID SAìD. Preparations for the Sultan's Return -
Majid Sets Out to Meet Him - The Palace Surrounded by Order of
Bargash - Who Wants to Usurp the Throne - Arrival of the Sultan's
Dead Body - Majid's Return - Court Mourning - Majid's Irregular
Succession - Severance of Zanzibar from Oman - Division of Seyyid
Sa•d's Property.
CHAPTER XI.
THE POSITION OF WOMAN IN THE EAST. Unhappy Western
Matches - Seclusion from the Male Sex - Polygamy and Monogamy -
Consideration Toward Wives - Redress Against Husbands - Domestic
Prerogatives of the Women - Their Cheerfulness - Impenetrability of
the Harem - Divorce Easy - Examples Disproving the "Inferiority" of
Oriental Women.
CHAPTER XII.
ARABIAN SUITORSHIP AND MARRIAGE. First Acquaintance -
Generally by Hearsay - Girls Free to Reject Suitors - Formalities to be
Observed by the Bride - Wedding Rites.
CHAPTER XIII.
SOCIAL CUSTOMS. Calls Made in the Evening - With Escort of
Armed Slaves - Form of Reception by the Hostess - Etiquette
Concerning Slippers - Conversation - Rigid Exclusion of Men from
Assemblies of Women - Saying Good-bye - Royal Audiences - Order
of Proceedings Thereat - Obligation to Attend Them - Visits Between
Men.
CHAPTER XIV.
MAHOMETAN FESTIVALS. The Month of Ramadan - Daily Fasting
- Nocturnal Feasting and Hospitality - Presentation of Holiday Gifts -
Watching for the New Moon - General Rejoicings - The Banyans -
Henna, and the Way to Use It - Public Prayers - The "Great Feast" -
Pilgrimages to Mecca - A Tenth to the Poor - How Pauperism is
Consequently a Necessary Institution.
CHAPTER XV.
MEDICAL TREATMENT. Cupping - Kneading - Swallowing
Sentences from the Koran - Consultation of Foreign Physicians -
Maltreatment by Domestic Remedies - Superstitious Practices -
Possession by Spirits, Good and Evil - Exorcism and Propitiation -
Female Doctors Needed in Zanzibar.
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