This is a matter of great importance among both men and women.

It would be tedious to describe the minutiae of the various coiffures, but the great desire with all tribes, except the Jalyn, is to have a vast quantity of hair arranged in their own peculiar fashion, and not only smeared, but covered with as much fat as can be made to adhere.

Thus, should a man wish to get himself up as a great dandy, he would put at least half a pound of butter or other fat upon his head.

This would be worked up with his coarse locks by a friend, until it somewhat resembled a cauliflower.
He would then arrange his tope or plaid of thick cotton cloth, and throw one end over his left shoulder, while slung from the same shoulder his circular shield would hang upon his back; suspended by a strap over the right shoulder would hang his long two-edged broadsword.
Fat is the great desideratum of an Arab.

His head, as I have described, should be a mass of grease; he rubs his body with oil or other ointment; his clothes, i.e.his one garment or tope, is covered with grease, and internally he swallows as much as he can procure.
The great Sheik Abou Sinn, who is upward of eighty, as upright as a dart, a perfect Hercules, and whose children and grandchildren are like the sand of the sea-shore, has always consumed daily throughout his life two rottolis (pounds) of melted butter.