the father, but sometimes the Ockals are consulted
on the occasion, and certain cabalistic or astro-
logical calculations are made in a way peculiar to
the Druse religion, when the name which is con-
sidered the most fortunate is given. All landed
property is equally divided amongst the male
children ; the females have nothing, except in very
rare instances. A widow has no share in the
inheritance, but if her husband has left her pro-
perty by will, the testament holds good.
The Druse ladies all know how to read and
write, being emancipated in this particular from
the general state of ignorance which prevails
amongst their sex in the East. The Druse ladies
are for the most part of fair complexions, with dark
hair and eyes, their figures being rather above the
average standard of the female height, and well
proportioned. The seclusion of the harem is com-
plete, and in some families they do, not appear even
before their near relations. Whenever they go
abroad, they draw their veils closely over their
faces, allowing merely the left eye to appear.
The horns which have so long been a part of the
female national costume of the Lebanon, are gra-



Digitized by VjOOQ IC



THE lARBOOSH. 297

dually being removed by both Christians and
Druses, and are being replaced by the tarboosh,
around which a dark muslin kerchief with flower
patterns is bound, in order to set off to better
advantage the jewellery, whether of pearls or dia-
monds, with which it is generally thickly studded.
