return the salutation. "By the sin of my
wife! " said Ben Zeddam, setting himself in
front of Si Saïd, gun in hand, ' you will
return me what I lent you just now; if not,
you are a dead man." The marabout
performed the ceremony required. Now, this
was a lesson not easy to forget. Still, on
consideration, I would not advise the shooting
of squires for breaches of salutational
reciprocity; only, if his worship did not take
off his hat to me in return, I would never
again take off mine to his worship.

Exactly as the little distinctions in their
codes of etiquette are one reason why the
French have believed the English to be
proud and cold at heart; so the manners of
the French have caused them to be despised
and undervalued by their Mohammedan
tributaries in Africa.

General Daumas's sketch of Algerian
manners is well worth attentive study. No nation,
it seems, is better skilled or practised than
the Arabs are in the forms of urbanity, and
in the verbal caresses which facilitate access
and predispose to a gracious and favourable
reception. No people know better how to
conform to the respective exigences of various
social positions, by treating every one according
to his rank. They take care to give you
what is your due; not an atom more, but
also not an atom less. Everything is
graduated according to understood regulations,
which are the subject of traditional theory.
The very prologue of the code of politeness
is a long affair, consisting of interminable
litanies, of the formulas which equals
imperturbably exchange whenever they happen to
meet. There are general expressions suited
for any time of the day, and others that
can only be used from morning till noon,
or from noon till night. There is a less
marked shade, in the circumlocution by
means of which an Arab inquires after
the health of the wife of the person with
whom he chances to be conversing. To name
her,  were she lying at the point of death,
would be a great breach of good manners;
consequently you make your inquiries in
indirect allusions. " How are the children of
Adam? How goes the tent? How is your
family? How are your people? " and even,
"How goes the grandmother? " Any clearer
designation would only awaken jealousy. It
would be remarked, " He must have seen my
wife; he must be acquainted with her, since
he inquires so very particularly after her!"

In ordinary conversation pious phrases
frequently intervene. But it may happen that
amongst the persons to be saluted there are
members of a different, and consequently a
hostile religion. To avoid wounding these
individuals by expressions on which, they
would set no value; and, on the other hand,
to avoid compromising sacred words in the
company of infidels, vague and more general
forms are employed, as for instance, " Health
to my people." Nevertheless, you will meet
with a number of fanatics whose wild and
timorous consciences would refuse to make
such a compromise, and who would believe
their salvation to be in peril if they did not
establish a marked distinction between
themselves and miscreants. On entering a
company where Christians or Jews are present,
they will not fail to say, "Health to the
people of salvation! " or " Health to those
who follow religion!" Notwithstanding this,
it will be understood that, in the districts
subject to the French domination, prudence
closes the lips of fanaticism; and that they
would not risk affronting persons who might
make them pay dear for their want of politeness.
On accosting an Israelite, a member
of the population so long enslaved and so
harshly persecuted by the followers of Islam
(a man to throw stones at, to borrow the
Arab expression), if you condescend to speak
the first word and to treat him with
affability, you say to him, "May Allah make
you live! May Allah aid you! " This simple
phrase, which is an exceptional piece of
politeness if accorded to a Jew, would be an
insult to a Mussulman.

Official etiquette is rigorous; every point
is scrupulously noted. An inferior salutes
his superior by kissing his hand if he meets
him on foot, and by kissing his knee if he
encounters him on horseback. The marabouts
and tolbas, who belong to religion
professionally, whatever may be their position in
the Mohammedan church, contrive to reconcile
their natural haughtiness of character and
their pride of caste with the quality of pious
humility. They snatch back their hand
abruptly; but they do not withdraw it from
the offered kiss, till the simple believer is in
the attitude of giving it. They do not refuse
a respectful embrace, but allow their head or
shoulder to be slightly touched with the lips.
Such a caress does not imply the reverential
deference exacted by the great ones of this
world. When an inferior, on horseback,
perceives on the road a man of any considerable
importance, he alights at a distance, to
embrace his knee. Equals kiss each other on
the face: or, if they are only mere acquaintance,
and not friends, they lightly touch
their right hands, and then each kisses his
forefinger. When a chief passes, every one
rises and salutes him by crossing the hands
on the chest. This was the ordinary mark
of respect accorded to the Emir, Abd-el-
Kader.

An Arab will never pass before a group of
his equals or his superiors, without saying
"Health be with you! " They always reply,
"With you be health!" These words are
pronounced in a grave and solemn tone of
voice, which contrasts strongly with the light
and laughing mode in which their French
conquerors accost each other. To ask any
one how he does in a careless off-hand style,
to salute him as a matter of no importance,
to assume an attitude which does not accord