A CHRISTIAN HAREM.

Mataura Ensign, Volume V, Issue 234, 2 March 1883, Page 6

A CHRISTIAN HAREM.

Writing of life in the Orient in Frank Leslie's Sunday Magazine, Edwin de Leon says : One evening we passed in the enjoyment of the hospitalities of a rich Greek who resided in the town. It had chanced that in my official capacity I had been able in Egypt to accord protection to the large colony of Greeks residing in Egypt during the Crimean war, when an edict of their expulsion from the Ottoman dominions had been issued from Constantinople by the Sublime Porte, and sanctioned by the Christian powers of Europe potential there. Not representing a European power, I took the responsibility of retaining and protecting these people in Egypt, and was ranked among the PhilHellenes throughout the East therefor, besides being made a Knight of the Order of San Sauveur by King Otho. As the Greeks are scattered throughout the East, aud keep up a constant intercommunication aud strict bonds of sympathy, this stood me iv good stead. Among other benefits, it procured me this evening the view of one of the loveliest women I have ever beheld in auy part of the world — the daughter of our entertainer at Jaffa. Although the Greeks are most fanatical Christians, yet in many customs they, as well as all other native Christians in the East, follow many of the Moslem usages — among others, the absolute seclusion of women from the sight of strangers, either at home or on the streets. While walking out they wear impenetrable veils — at home they are restricted to their own apartments, into which no man iB ever admitted, save the members of their own household. Even the happy bridegroom is not allowed to see the face of his bride till after formal betrothal. His female relatives inspect her and report her charms, on which he must form his judgment. It was, therefore, by a special aud extraordinary favour that I was permitted to look on the unveiled face of this lovely Greek maiden, whose beauties the eyes of no unmarried man had ever viewed before, save her future husband, who that day had first been granted the privilege. For here in Jaffa, was practiced the matrimonial brokerage which prevails in France— the queen of modern civilization. Mrs Prime had been passing the evening in this Christian harem while we men creatures were solemnly smoking and stuffing ourselves with eastern sweetmeats in the men's apartment below, and were getting sleepy from the smoky atmosphere, repletion and the conversation under difficulties, diluted and strained through several languages, when a messenger mysteriously beckoned Mr Prime and myself from the apartment, and following the messenger's shuffly steps, we were ushered into the sacred precincts of the ladies' bower, where we found Mrs Prime surrounded by a bevy of damsels of all ages and sizes, from the full-fed proportions of the matrons down to the slender-waisted gazel-eyed girls of twelve or thirteen years of age, just ripening into woman,-

hood. Then first I knew where the prophet had drawn his visions of the future state, and where on earth its houris might be seen. For those women were of rare and witching loveliness, yet a loveliness of earth earthly — save those who were very young, around whom yet lingered the grace and purity of childhood. The soft, bright light of intelligence, cultivated by education and thought, refined by knowledge, poetry, and music, and feminine accomplishments, was wanting in those full, dark, brilliant orbs, which, shyly lifted up from under the long-fringed lashes, shot a ray of light into your own, then were bent down again. Tet there was much to attract the senses in the sweet laces anl willowy features of the young damsels, the bride expectant being a very paragon of loveliness. tVearebound over to perfect secrecy aa to our visit, but found the ladies much nicer to look at than to talk to, being as ignorant and ill-informed as children, but full of curiosity, and excessively loquacious. They were habited in Eastern costume of the richest stuff, exposiug the bosom, aud substituting baggy trousers of silk, for petticoats and skirts, while in their braided hair shone jewels and golden coins. They seemed to enjoy as a rare frolic the presence of two bearded men among them, and no doubt talked it over, as a belle would her first ball. Here, as below, pipes, perfumed nargileh and sweetmeats were the order of the evening, aud the fair damsels puffed energetically and blew clouds of Latakia smoke through their nostrils with equal grace and gravity. It was very late when we left, and the jealousy oF our unfortunate friends we had left below was vehemently kindled when they learned our happy fortune.