[FN#509] i.e.  “Father of a Pigeon,” i.e. surpassing in swiftness the carrier-pigeon.

[FN#510] “Bi-sab’a Sikak” = lit. “with seven nails;” in the Ms. vol. vi. p. 133, 1. 2, and p. 160, 1. 4, we have “four Sikak,” and the word seems to mean posts or uprights whereto the chains were attached. ["Sakk,” pl.  “Sik k” and “Suk£k,” is nail, and “Sikkah,” pl.  “Sikak,” has amongst many other meanings that of “an iron post or stake” (Bocthor:  piquet de fer).—­St.]

[FN#511] In text “Al-Lij m w’ al-B¡l m” = the latter being a “T bi’” or dependent word used only for jingle. [The Muh¡t explains “Bil m” by “Kim m at-Thaur” = muzzle of a bull, and Bocthor gives as equivalent for it the French “cavecon” (English “cavesson” nose-band for breaking horses in).  Here, I suppose, it means the headstall of the bridle.—­St.]

[FN#512] In Arab.  “Al-Sayfu w’-al Kalani.”

[FN#513] In text “Itowwaha,” which is repeated in p. 146, 1. 2. ["Ittawwah” seems to be the modern Egyptian 5th form of “Tauh.”  In classical Arabic it would be “tatawwah,” but in the dialect of to-day the prefix becomes “it,” whose final dental here assimilates with the initial palatal of the root; p. 146 the word is correctly spelt with two Tashdids.  The meaning is:  he threw himself (with his right foot foremost) upon the horse’s back.  Instances of this formation, which has now become all but general in Egyptian, are not infrequent in old Arabic, witness chapters lxxiii. and lxxiv. of the Koran, which begin with “ayyuh  ’l Muddassiru” and “ayyuh… ’l-Muzzammilu” respectively.—­St.]

[FN#514] In text “Ramaha bi-h.”

[FN#515] The vowel points in the Ms. show this to be a quotation.

[FN#516] In text “Yarj£,” I presume an error for “yarja’u.” [I believe “yarju” is an error for yajr£,” and the various paces to which they put their horses are meant:  sometimes they galloped (ramah£), sometimes they trotted (Pedro de Alcala gives “trotar” for “jar  yajr¡"), sometimes they ambled (yas¡r£).—­St.]

[FN#517] In text “Saith the Sayer of this say so wondrous and this delectable matter seld-seen and marvellous,”—­which I omit as usual.

[FN#518] In text “Sar’a ’l-Lij m.”

[FN#519] The invariable practice of an agent de police in England and France, according to the detective tales of mm.  Gaboriau and Du Boisgobey.  In Africa the guide often attempts to follow instead of leading the party, and this proceeding should always awake suspicion.

[FN#520] In text another prothesis without apodosis:  see vol. vi. 203, etc.

[FN#521] In text “Fa gh ba thal that ayyamin” = and he (or it the mountain?) disappeared for three days. ["Gh ba” = departed, may have here the meaning of “passed away” and three days had gone, and he ever travelling, before (il… an) he reached it.—­St.]