Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 7.djvu/283

11' S. VII. Aran. 5, l9l3.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 275 fireworks at home and giving displays in the back garden. (I believe it is now illegal to make Hreworks except in premises licensed for the purpose.) References may be found in the book which we used as a m3n@l=-1 ` ‘ Pyrotechn ; I or, I The Art of I Making Fire- works, I at Little Cost, I and with I Com mlete Safety and Cleanliness) Ward, Lock & '1}yler, n.d. Author`s name not on title-page, but en p. 1, “ By Practicus.” N o doubt the publishers can supply the date. E.g., p. 71 :- “ PREPARATION or TOUCH-Imran.-I have ken about touch- per, but I do not think that Iphave yet describe<I)ilts preparation.” The most obvious explanation of the name is that touch-paper ignites at the touch of a lighted match or other fire, but I do not know if this is the correct one. G. H. Warm. St. Cross. Harleston, Norfolk. T111-: Ran HAND or ULSTER (11 S. vii. 189).-I have been looking for an oppor- tunity of bringing to the notice of your readers the following apparently remarkable effect that was produced by the sight of a card bearing this cognizance. A I quote from The Western Morning N ewe- from their London Correspondent’s Letter some time since. He is referring to an incident in the present war in the Balkans, and says :- “ Mr. Baldwin, the Central News correspondent, wished te visit one of the magnificent mosques in Co ta ti o l but bei Christi he ns n n pe, ng a an, was refused admission. 'He produced the usual pass- port, credentials, and Turkish references. but with- out ava1L Despera.tely_he felt in his pocket. and came upon a card bearing the red hand of Ulster _[a press card issued for the Ulster Week demon- strations last summerl. The correspondent rof- fered the card to the Turkish guardians ofp the place, without much hope that it would avail him. o his amazement it had a magical effect. The ofiicials entered into a hasty consultation, and one of them disappeared, and shortly afterwards re- turned with a igh functionary of the mosque, who salaamed most eferentially, and conducted the correspondent all over the edifice. Mr. Baldwin is stil wondering what the red hand of Ulster green; to the Turks, and for whom they mistook 1m . Mr. F. T. Elworthy, in his book ‘ The Evil Eye,’ p. 243, refers to the use of the hand as a symbol of power and protection sculp- tured on tombs at Tel- el-Amarna, and adds : “The use of the hand as a sign of the divine presence and power is thus fixed at least as early as th sojourn of Israel in Egypt ...... and has con- tinued to be so used ..... down to the resent day- alike by pagans, Mahomedaus, and fgrristians.” At p. 246 he gives a fig1u°e of the open (dexter) hand carved on the ke tone of the arch of the outer gate of the xgliambra, “ in defiance of the strict objection of the Moslem to images.” On p. 247 he quotes ‘ Murray’s Handbook for Spain,’ 1855, 1. 301, to the eifect that this occurrence of the o n hand refers to “ the Hebrew fadh, the }I)a(?nd of God, the Oriental symbol of power and rovidence.” In a foot-note to 247 Mr. Elworthy adds: “ The arms of lster are simply a large hand in this position ” (that is, the right hand as held up by Ori- entals in taking a judicial oath). ' I have also seen it stated, but with what authority I should like to learn, that “ the fingers of the hand produce the letters of the word Allah in the Arabic and Persian character,” and that “ Mr. Baldwin there- fore entered the mosque in the name of God ” May I conclude with the question raised by the gentleman who represented the Central News, and ask, What did the ‘f Bed Hand of Ulster ” really signify to the Mahommedan guardians of the mosque in Constantinople ? _ W. S. B. H. NORRIS (ll S. vi. 251, 428; vii. 150, 173, 212).-The following in connexion with this family, and with the phrase used at p. 212, “ poor as a crow,” is curious :- “ Queen Elizabeth used te call the Lady Mar- ret, his_[Sir J ohn Norris’s] mother, her own Grow, gtein (as it seemeth) black in complexion (a colour whicih no whit unbecame the faces of her martial issue); and, upon the news of his death. sent this Letter unltéo her. which I have transcribed from an th t' : ML 'leg thas Ii)d)grNorris. - 22 Sept., 1%. CC l'¢§|'*l><l “ Y ° dl ` So ` , our gracious an ovxng verefgi R.” Fuller’s ‘ Worthies,’ vol. ii. pp. 2%-9. Lord and Lady Norris had six sons, of whom four were illed in battle. R. J. FYNMORE. For the Norris family of Milverton, men- tioned at the penultimate reference, and Sylvester Norris, mentioned at the last, compare also 10 S. x. 225, 316, 355. J cms B. Wamnwmcnm. “ HYPERGAMY ” (11 S. vii. 229).-For the history of the word see ‘ Rellport On' the Census of the Punjab,’ by Denz` C. Ibbetson, Calcutta, 1883, p. 356. In a foot-note the author says :- ~ “ I am indebted to Mr. Coldstream for these two rd ' d h yl- Hypsrsbm mdeesl ggfédmgpjigr rathggrgtzmmean ‘ too much