Thus wrote Charles Greenstreet Addison:
The scene on entering to a novice is very astonishing. Around the large circular hall were raised platforms or terraces covered with carpets and small beds, on and around which might be seen the most extraordinary grim figures imaginable, some rolled up in towels and napkins, lay extended at full length smoking, others sat up sipping coffee. Some were divesting themselves of their garments, assisted by a black slave, and others were in a complete state of nudity, in the act of having a towel wound round their waists, just before going into the bath. They presented the most extraordinary and comic aspect imaginable, with their shaven heads and long beard; (the heads of all Mussulmen are shaved quite bare, with the exception of a tuft on the very top, which is left for the angel of the tomb on the day of judgment, say they, to grasp and carry them up to heaven by; besides these, other objects are seen wrapped up in towels, with black grisled beards tickling their breasts, and tottering along on a high pair of pattens or rather stilts, at the imminent danger, as it appears, of breaking their necks. They push onwards to the bathing rooms, while crowds of pale, waxy-faced attendants, all stark naked with the exception of a towel wound round their waists, and with shining shaven crowns, are walking about with bundles of towels, cups of coffee, pipes, and nargillas. The whole scene, although a busy one, is silent, ceremonious, and quite bewildering.
We were allotted a raised recess covered with carpets, upon which six little couches were quickly prepared, with cushions and linen sheets spread over them; our little bundles of clothes were deposited by the side, and we commenced undressing. A naked attendant stood close at hand with towels, and as we were successively reduced to our last garment, he wound a towel round our waists. Being then completely stripped, a long towel was thrown over our shoulders, and another wound in the shape of a turban round our heads.
As we successively descended the platform, a pair of pattens, called kabkabs, about a foot or a foot and a half high, were placed for us to get into, to protect our feet from the wet, cold, marble pavement. I had not taken three steps in these unlucky machines before I tottered and tumbled, and should have broken my head if I had not been caught and steadied by two of the attendants. I immediately shook off the detestable kabkabs and walked on to the door of the bathing-rooms, where we were confounded by a pack of naked, tallow-faced, shaven-crowned wretches, with pale bloodless skins, shiny, greasy-looking, and covered with perspiration, who rushed upon us, shouted at us, grinned and chattered, and poked us with their thin, lanky, white fingers. Not comprehending the nature of the attack, we were putting ourselves in boxing attitudes, and should certainly have shortly astonished them as much as they did us, had not our dragoman, who was behind, told us that they were only contesting with each other which was to have the honour of serving us in the bath, and that we must each choose our man, whose services were indispensable inside.
No comments:
Post a Comment