The first action of
an Arab when he dismounts at a halt upon the march, and sits
beneath a tree, is to draw his sword; and after trying both edges
with his thumb, he carefully strops the blade to and fro upon his
shield until a satisfactory proof of the edge is made by shaving
the hair off his arm, after which it is returned to the sheath.
I have measured these swords; that of a fair average size is
three feet in the length of blade, and one inch and seven-eighths
in breadth; the hilt, from the top of the guard to the extremity,
five and a half inches. Thus the sword complete would be about
three feet five or six inches. Such a weapon possesses immense
power, as the edge is nearly as sharp as a razor. But the Arabs
have not the slightest knowledge of swordsmanship; they never
parry with the blade, but trust entirely to the shield, and
content themselves with slashing either at their adversary or at
the animal that he rides; one good cut delivered by a powerful
arm would sever a man at the waist like a carrot. The Arabs are
not very powerful men; they are extremely light and active, and
generally average about five feet eight inches in height. But
their swords are far too heavy for their strength; and although
they can deliver a severe cut, they cannot recover the sword
sufficiently quick to parry, therefore they are contented with
the shield as their only guard.
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