Where excatly is Arabia

The Arabs who are not nomads live in the towns or villages, which always have walls of dried mud built around them. The houses are usually two stories high, with flat mud roofs and little windows. The largest and most important room in an Arabian house is called the "kahwah" or coffee room. Here the men congregate and receive guests and the women rarely enter this room except when strangers are unlikely to be present. The clothes of an Arab are loose and of a light material suitable to the very hot climate.

An Arab man wears a long cotton shirt, often with a leather belt around his waist, and sometimes a cloak over his shoulders. A handkerchief often covers his head, held in place by a band. In some parts of Arabia the men wear loose pantaloons, and turbans. The poor people, however, simply wear wide pieces of cloth around their hips and around their shoulders. Open sandals are worn by everybody; only the poorest go barefoot. An Arabian woman wraps her whole figure, including her head, in a wide piece of cloth that trails behind. Underneath she wears pantaloons and a long shirt. The women rarely cover their faces with veils as women in other Eastern countries do. They are fond of jewelry, and often wear bracelets and rings. An Arabian woman usually combs her hair in a long braid, which hangs down her back. The food the Arabians eat is very simple: bread made into thin cakes, a few vegetables, boiled mutton or camel's flesh, dates, and fruit.

 Rice is considered a delicacy and is eaten only by the rich. Though tea is popular, coffee is the chief drink of the Arabs, who drink it without sugar or milk at all times of the day. It is always served to welcome a new guest. Unlike people in the United States, the Arabians eat only one meal a day, soon after sunset. They disapprove of overeating, and seldom drink wine. The chief occupation of the people in the towns and villages is farming. They use very primitive methods, but they have learned how to irrigate the crops, which would otherwise die because of the very small amount of rain that falls.

So much of the country is desert that the crops are only enough to feed the people. The large exceptions are dates and coffee, which grow in the southwestern part of Arabia, and are two of the important exports. Around the city of Medina, the farmers grow more than a hundred varieties of dates, some of which are particularly delicious. The waters along the coast swarm with many kinds of fish, including the shark, which the people eat, so that fishing is an important occupation. The Arabs of Arabia are very backward in manufacturing, but they like commerce and trade. An Arab always carries some object with him he can exchange or sell, even when he only travels from one town to another. He hates to return home without having transacted some business. Some of the children learn reading and writing from their mothers at home, as well as history and poetry.

They are also taught politeness and self-control, for which Arab children are noted. The Arabians have few schools, and there is little education as it is known in the United States. Entertainment and amusements are also very different. In some places there is no entertainment except religious festivals and pilgrimages. In other places, the people are fond of sports and games. In some cities there are coffee houses, open all day, where the men can hear singing and see other amusements. The chief occupation of the people in the towns and villages is farming. They use very primitive methods, but they have learned how to irrigate the crops, which would otherwise die because of the very small amount of rain that falls. So much of the country is desert that the crops are only enough to feed the people.

The large exceptions are dates and coffee, which grow in the southwestern part of Arabia, and are two of the important exports. Around the city of Medina, the farmers grow more than a hundred varieties of dates, some of which are particularly delicious. The waters along the coast swarm with many kinds of fish, including the shark, which the people eat, so that fishing is an important occupation. The Arabs of Arabia are very backward in manufacturing, but they like commerce and trade.

An Arab always carries some object with him he can exchange or sell, even when he only travels from one town to another. He hates to return home without having transacted some business. Some of the children learn reading and writing from their mothers at home, as well as history and poetry. They are also taught politeness and self-control, for which Arab children are noted. The Arabians have few schools, and there is little education as it is known in the United States. Entertainment and amusements are also very different. In some places there is no entertainment except religious festivals and pilgrimages. In other places, the people are fond of sports and games. In some cities there are coffee houses, open all day, where the men can hear singing and see other amusements.