KEREK. 
384 
pitality that prevails prevents the increase of wealth, and the richest 
man in the town is not worth more than about 21000. sterling. 
Their custom of entertaining strangers is much the same as at Szalt; 
they have eight Menzels, or Medhafe (t.), for the reception of 
guests, six of which belong to the Turks, and two to the Christians; 
their expenses are not defrayed by a common purse : but whenever 
a stranger takes up his lodging at one of the Medhafes, one of the 
people present declares that he intends to furnish that day's enter 
tainment, and it is then his duty to provide a dinner or supper, 
which he sends to the Medhafe, and which is always in sufficient 
quantity for a large company. A goat or a lamb is generally killed 
on the occasion, and barley for the guest’s horse is also furnished. 
When a stranger enters the town the people almost come to blows 
with one another in their eagerness to have him for their guest, and 
there are Turks who every other day kill a goat for this hospita 
ble purpose. Indeed it is a custom here, even with respect to their 
own neighbours, that whenever a visitor enters a house, dinner 
or supper is to be immediately set before him. Their love of 
entertaining strangers is carried to such a length, that not long ago, 
when a Christian silversmith, who came from Jerusalem to work 
for the ladies, and who, being an industrious man, seldom stir 
red out of his shop, was on the point of departure after a two 
months residence, each of the principal families of the town sent 
him a lamb, saying that it was not just that he should lose his due, 
though he did not choose to come and dine with them. The more 
a man expends upon his guests, the greater is his reputation and 
influence ; and the few families who pursue an opposite conduct 
are despised by all the others. 
Kerek is filled with guests every evening; for the Bedouins, 
knowing that they are here sure of a good supper for themselves and 
their horses, visit it as often as they can ; they alight at one Me¬