WOMEN'S FORUM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 116, 19 May 1933, Page 9

WOMEN'S FORUM.

VISIT TO MECCA. ENGLISH WOMAN PILGRIM. It is a long time since Sir Richard Burton lay on the road to Mecca for the Arab horse of the descendant of Mahomet to walk over, and not only risked his life then but every moment thereafter, to these days when a woman makes the sacred journey. Lady Evelyn Cobbold, the first English woman to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca, has returned to Jeddnh from the Holy City. Lady Evelyn, who left London some time ago, has been a Moslem for many years. She knows by heart many passages of the Koran, and speaks fluent Arabic, which she can both read and write. She landed at Jeddali and did the 70-mile journey by motor through the desert to the Holy City, access to which is forbidden to all Christians. She took ordinary clothes with her, as women do not have to wear the special ceremonial dress which is obligatory for all the men pilgrims. With the other Moslem women from all over the world she performed the Moslem religious ceremonies, circum-ambulating seven times the Holy Kaaba, supposed to have been set up by Abraham on the occasion of the outcasting of Ishmael, and visiting the celebrated well of ZcmZem, which is said to contain miracu-lous-power. Lady Evelyn is the first English woman to return as a Hadji, one who has performed the holy pilgrimage. She had already, before the war, paid a visit to Medina, above Mecca, but had not accomplished the pilgrimage. Lady Evelyn, who is a sister of the Earl of Dunmore, V.C., Lord-in-Waiting to the King, has frequently travelled off the beaten track, and years ago met Raisuli, the notorious brigand, in the wilds of Morocco.

MODES OF THE MOMENT. A black and white crepe de chine dress recently seen in London, writes a correspondent, was slit in front to show an emerald green under-dress and worn with a plain black coat. Printed materials were used, too, for evening gowns. A delightful example of this fashion shown was of white crepe de chine with an open pattern in black and red. This had a sash of black lacquered ribbon with sash ends falling to the hem. Plain materials are equally fashionable. One very smart frock of fancy silk crepe was in the fashionable ice blue shade and had a collar of white organdie finished with a flat bow in the same material, lne full-length coat was dark blue and had short cape sleeves.

WOMEN'S GREAT WORK. | Fifty years ago two old lading purchased three volumes in the embossed type invented by Braille, and opened a library for the blind in their little home in Hampstead. To-day, that libraij, now housed at Westminster and called the National Library for the Blind, has 193 734 books and more than 10,000 readers. Statistics show that blind readers prefer detective fictton to any other kind of book, and* that Edgai Wallace is their most popular author. Fletcher, " Sapper," Galsworthy, and Priestley are among other favourite authors, though many of _ the older readers clioosa books by Annie S. Swann and Ethel M. Dell. There is a great demand by blind people for music, and particularly for dance tunes, of which they are passionately fond.

LONDON FASHIONS. The craze for velvet has not yet ruled out the woolly cap, and some very fascinating turban fittings are moulded from the new angora wool. A back sweep is necessary in any case, but the fitting may be either that of a cap or a "lengarry. The glengarry turban looks particularly well in scarlet angora with a pinched "dip" over the eye, the diagonal line . being traced thence over the crown of the head. Crocheted wool tams have the flat saucer top, but they are trimmed with a bow at the side rather than with the former tasseL For the black velvet beret you _ must now have a butterfly, poised aa if about to flutter away. Butterflies are also worn on the posies that p,o with the new velvet coats.