_ 368 _ The Arabs are dark, and the Persians fair and of good appearance. They are all given to pleasures, both in their eating habits and other carnal appetites, and especially to luxury. They are excellent horsemen and play a kind of polo on horseback. They are a naturally musical race both in singing and playing instruments. They are great troubadours and are given to reading ancient stories, as well as possessing other commendable habits. They are most jealous of their women, and with good reason, since they are very beautiful and given to sensuality. They leave their houses very little, and when they do go out, they are completely covered by a large cloth like a sheet with holes through which they can see. Both the women and the men are very well dressed. They wear silk tunics which are padded in the winter, and scarlet capes made of fine material. In the summer, they use most beautiful linen, their blouses and drawers being of the same material. They wear pointed leather or silk shoes, and on their heads, they wear white turbans which are placed on top of red berets which have tails which are also red. They are as well armed as they are dressed and carry daggers and Turkish bows and arrows. They are magnificent archers.
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