ife before the wedding
night, a custom rendered more tolerable than it otherwise might be by
the facility of divorce. A dowry is always given, and a simple
marriage ceremony performed by a _fiki_ (a schoolmaster, or one who
recites the Koran, properly one learned in _fiqh_, Mahommedan law) in
the presence of two witnesses. The bridal of a virgin is attended with
great festivity and rejoicing, a grandee's wedding sometimes
continuing eleven days and nights. On the last day, which should be
that terminating with the eve of Friday, or of Monday, the bride is
taken in procession to the bridegroom's house, accompanied by her
female friends, and a band of musicians, jugglers, wrestlers, &c. As
before stated, a boy about to be circumcised joins in such a
procession, or, frequently, a succession of such boys. Though allowed
by his religion four wives, most Egyptians are monogamists. A man may,
however, possess any number of concubines, who, though objects of
jealousy to the legal wife, are tolerated by her in consideration of
her superior position and power over them, a power which she often
uses with great tyranny; but certain privileges are possessed by
concubines, especially if they have borne sons to their master. A
divorce is rendered obligatory by the simple words "Thou art
divorced." Repudiation may take place twice without being final, but
if the husband repeats thrice "Thou art divorced" the separation is
absolute. In that case the dowry must be returned to the wife.

Elaborate ceremonies are observed at funerals. Immediately on death
the corpse is turned towards Mecca, and the women of the household,
assisted by hired mourners, commence their peculiar wailing, while
fikis recite portions of the Koran. The funeral takes place on the day
of the death, if that happen in the morning; otherwise on the next
day. The corpse, having been washed and shrouded, is placed in an open
bier, covered with a cashmere shawl, in the case of a man; or in a
closed bier, having a post in front, on which are placed feminine
ornaments, in that of a woman or child. The funeral procession is
headed by a number of poor, and generally blind, men, chanting the
profession of the faith, followed by male friends of the deceased, and
a party of schoolboys, also chanting, generally from a poem
descriptive of the state of the soul after death. Then follows the
bier, borne on the sh