The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume X, No. 6 [‎105v] (63/186)

602 A JOURNEY TO SIWA IN SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER, 1896.
whose influence is nil, and who, recognizing the fact, do not struggle against the
inevitable.
Their monetary values are those of the adjacent countries—Egypt and Morocco—
but they give them names of their own—
14 ghuerdas = 1 freena
1 freena = 2J piastres
8 freena = 1 real cinquo
1 real cinquo = 19| piastres.
But far more trade is done by direct barter than by cash purchase. They do not
refuse money when it is tendered, but most of the merchants only offer them goods
for the dates—chiefly green tea and sugar, both of which they consume in large
quantities.
They cultivate five kinds of dates. The best, the ghrasali, is too juicy to be
exported; the faraghi, which will keep from three to four months, is exported to
Alexandria. The saiedii is the common Arab food, of which every Beduin keeps
a store, as it will keep good for a year. Out of it is made the paste called ar-gool,
or moona (mortar). The dates are trampled upon until they adhere together into a
paste, the sugar in the fruit crystallizing and helping to preserve them. The
sultani, of which Siwa possesses but a few trees; it is chiefly grown in the small
oases. The gargha, the least valued of all, and therefore kept for home consump
tion and camel food. All these dates are dried on the sand of the date-yards, and
carry away with them a good deal of the soil, but to the Arabs this does not seem
to detract from their excellence.
They are packed for sale in long fiat baskets made of palm branches called saa,
which is the recognized measure for dates, so that you buy half or quarter of a saa.
Two saa, one slung on each side, are a camel-load.
The staple food is cheap enough, but all imports, such as green tea, sugar,
and scents for the two or three inhabitants rich enough to buy them, are enormously
expensive. They only care for green tea, and the best is sent to them. I saw them
smell the packets with the air of connoisseurs. Not knowing this, I had given a
packet of my black tea to one of the sheiks, whose manners were so good that he
concealed the contempt he must have felt for it and probably threw it away as soon
as my back was turned.
He who shall make the tea is selected for reasons I was unable to penetrate,
hoever he may be, he for the time being is called sultan, and ranks highest in
the company. Sometimes it takes so very long deciding who should be tea-maker,
that the water gets cold, but Ekman Hatoun being the proud possessor of a real
French urn, the water could boil away while points of etiquette were being settled. A
teaspoonful of tea, then sugar up to the brim, a sprig of mint placed in the lid, and
as much hot water as the teapot will hold, makes what to our taste is a sickening
concoction; but, as common politeness to the host demands it, you have to drink
glass after glass, each more nauseous than the last, as the void is filled up with sugar
until the teapot contains nothing but a thick syrup. You can always recognize an
oasis man in Egypt by his preferring tea to coffee. Berber is the common language
spoken among the inhabitants. The Arabic spoken differs here as with the Beduins
—their g's are all soft, and they clip their words of the last syllable ; for instance,
mafish (“ it is not,” or “ there is not ”) becomes mdfi, with a long a ; moya, md.
Every salutation has its proper answer, and to fail to give it betrays the stranger
at once. Katerherah (“ thank you ”} should never be said ; thanks must be ex
pressed by calling down some blessing on the donor. When time is no object, Arabs
will sit together muttering welcomes with as much expression as an ordinary school