* * * * *

At a town called Ravandus Madame Pfeiffer rested for some days, making
observations on the manners and customs of the Kurds. She was not
prepossessed in their favour by what she saw: the women are idle,
ignorant, and squalid; the men work as little and rob as much as they
can. Polygamy is practised; and religion is reduced to the performance
of a few formalities. The costume of the wealthier Kurds is purely
Oriental, that of the common people varies from it a little. The men
wear wide linen trousers, and over them a shirt confined by a girdle,
with a sleeveless woollen jacket, made of stuff of only a hand's-breadth
wide, and sewed together. Instead of white trousers, some wear brown,
which are anything but picturesque, and look like sacks with two holes
for the insertion of the feet,--the said feet being encased in boots of
red or yellow leather, with large iron heels; or in shoes of coarse white
wool, adorned with three tassels. The turban is the universal
head-covering.

The women don loose trousers, and red or yellow boots, with iron heels,
like the men; but over all they wear a long blue garment which, if not
tucked up under the girdle, would depend some inches below the ankles. A
large blue shawl descends below the knee. Round their heads they twist
black shawls, turban-wise; or they wear the red fez, with a silk
handkerchief wound about it; and on the top of this, a kind of wreath
made of short black fringe, worn like a diadem, but leaving the forehead
free. The hair falls in narrow braids over the shoulders, and from the
turban droops a heavy silver chain. As a head-dress it is remarkably
attractive; and it is but just to say that it often sets off really
handsome faces, with fine features, and glowing eyes.