LIFE ON BOAED THE DAHABEAH. 19 



white bags, contrasting strongly with their brown legs, which 

 are exposed from the knee downwards. 



The dinners which our dragoman provided throughout 

 the tour were excellent ; indeed in this respect he exceeded 

 the terms of the contract, which we had taken care to draw 

 up very minutely, as this saves a great deal of trouble after- 

 wards ; for we suspect that a careless contract often leads 

 dragomans to fancy that they can impose upon the traveller ; 

 and this is probably the reason why some parties disagree 

 with them. 



After dinner we go on deck again, where the ' Girls ' 

 bring us our long chibouques, which they have duly lighted 

 for us, and our cups of coffee, which, after the true Turkish 

 fashion, are extremely small, and contain the very essence 

 of coffee, with a quarter of a cupful of dregs. This may 

 appear unpleasant to the uninitiated; but one soon comes 

 to appreciate the coffee in this fashion, while there is cer- 

 tainly none like it for flavour. A slight breeze having sprung 

 up during dinner, the crew have laid aside their oars, and 

 are now singing their strange wild and plaintive song, while 

 one of them keeps time on the darabouka. This instrument 

 consists of an earthen jar with a piece of parchment stretched 

 over its wide mouth. The night is beautiful; the moon, 

 which has now risen, casts its silvery light upon the rippling 

 waters, and our white sail is filled with the soft breeze. 



The ' Mother ' now makes his appearance, and, after the 

 usual salutation of the East, begins the conversation. " I 

 hope you very good appetite," the way he always com- 

 mences after dinner ; " the crew play to show they much 

 pleased." If this was a fact, I believe they were always 

 pleased when they had nothing else to do. He then told 



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