Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

of each kind of meat, in the feasts that are made for them. It is also a mark of distinction for a guest to have many different dishes set before him. Joseph, therefore, probably sent his favourite brother many dif ferent kinds of meat, there being enough of each dish to serve him for a meal, had he chosen to partake solely of it."

Captains Irby and Mangles, giving an account of their entertainment in an Arab camp, mention that upon some partridges being brought in and roasted, part was given to them-one of the sheikhs, as a mark of distinction," throwing a leg and a wing to each of us."-Travels in Syria, p. 263.

WAITING AT TABLE.

PSALM CXxiii. 2.

"Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters,...so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God...."

LUKE xvii. 8.

"... Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink."

"When entertained by the consul at Damietta, coffee was brought in very small cups, each cup being enclosed in a small silver case. The long pipes were next carried in by six attendants. Each servant stood at a reverent distance, and kept his eye fixed upon the hand of the guest whom he was serving, watching the slightest motion."-Narrative of a Mission of Enquiry to the Jews, p. 68.

During his visit to the Archbishop of Tyre, Mr. Wilson remarks, that having offered up thanks after supper, the archbishop "desired my servant in waiting at a distant part of the room, to come forward, sit down, and fall to in his turn."-Travels, vol. ii. p. 71.

66

REPASTS ON THE SEA-SHORE.

JOHN xxi. 3-13.

They went forth, and entered into a ship... When the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore. . . . (and) saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. . . . . As soon as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. . . . . Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine (He) cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise."

[ocr errors]

....

When the Eastern fishermen are disposed to eat, they do not generally (as those of the same class among ourselves do) dress their fish on board their vessels, but are wont to land and eat it on shore, and that early, as well as late, in the day. These circumstances are confirmed by the following story of what happened to a traveller named Doubdan, during a short voyage from St. John d'Acre to Sidon.

The substance of Doubdan's account is this: He and his companions hired a fishing-boat to take them to Sidon, but through the indolence of the seamen, who would not row, they got no further than Tyre that night. In the morning, finding themselves at the mercy of four or five fishermen, who did nothing but cast their nets into the sea, they employed a poor Jew, who was with them in the boat, and who could speak a little of the language used by the fishermen, to call upon them to push forward to Sidon. But they only cast their nets into the sea, to procure themselves a dinner. Then they landed to dress and eat their fish, after which they slept for more than two hours, while Doubdan and his friends were broiling with the scorching sun and heated rocks. Being put out again to sea, upon a

promise of more pay, they took up their oars, and rowed briskly for four or five miles, in order to reach Sidon that same day. They then grew tired; and being inclined to return to their fishing, they put Doubdan and his companions on shore, where there was a very large and deep cavern, and began to cook some small fish, with some rice; and then, without speaking one word to Doubdan, carried all on board the bark, and went away toward the place from whence they came, so that they lost sight of them in a few moments. This unexpected accident extremely astonished them; and, what was worse, there were many Turks, Moors, and Arabs in this cavern; of whom some were reclining on the sand, enjoying the fresh air; some were dressing provisions among the rocks; others were smoking; notwithstanding the apparent danger of the fall of great pieces of the rocks, which frequently happened; but it is common for them to retire hither on account of a spring of fine water, which glides along here, and is extremely cool. -See HARMER'S Observations, vol. ii. pp. 27-29.

[ocr errors]

Throughout all Greece the natives seldom take any food before eleven o'clock, at which hour they have aptorov, which we translate dinner; then about eight or nine in the evening they have supper, which is the chief meal. This explains the invitation of our Lord to the disciples on the Lake of Galilee, Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine;' that is, come and partake of the morning meal."- Narrative of a Mission of Enquiry to the Jews, p. 342.

PERSIAN INTEMPERANCE.

ISAIAH V. 11.

[ocr errors]

"Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

"On the 15th of April, 1813," says Morier, "return

6

ing from a morning ride, about seven o'clock, I saw, at about forty yards from the road-side, a party of welldressed Persians seated on a carpet close to a rising ground in the plain, with a small stream of water, near a field of rising corn, flowing before them, and surrounded by their servants and horses. As I passed, they sent a lad to me with a message to the following purpose: The Khan sends his compliments, says, be happy, and join his party.' At the same time the whole company hallooed out to me as loud as they could, Be happy, be happy!' I afterwards learnt that this party was given by a Yuzbashee, or Colonel of the king's troops, and that they were in the height of enjoyment when I passed, for they were all apparently much intoxicated. We one day met a party in one of the king's pleasure-houses nearly under similar circumstances; and we found that the Persians, when they commit a debauch, arise betimes, and esteem the morning as the best time for beginning to drink wine, by which means they carry on their excess until night." -MORIER'S Second Journey, p. 189.

CHAPTER IX.

THE PASSOVER.

EXODUS xii. 18.

"In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one-and-twentieth day of the month at even.'

Verse 15.

"Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel."

[ocr errors]

8.

They shall eat the flesh (of the lamb) in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it."

11.

"And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand."

22.

"Ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason."

26, 27.

"And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? that ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses."

« EdellinenJatka »