DAILY LIFE OF THE PEINCESSES. 251 



ourselves into the belief of being the admired 

 of princesses. Mrs Gholaum describes the life 

 led by these ladies as very monotonous ; never- 

 theless their time did not seem to hang heavy 

 on their hands, and the daily routine was some- 

 what in this wise. They rose with the lark, or 

 rather, I should say, with the first twitter of the 

 paroquets, whose brilliant plumage flashed in 

 the sunbeams as they fluttered around the house- 

 tops of a morning. After performing their 

 matutinal ablutions and saying their prayers, the 

 ladies read the Koran, or some other religious 

 book, whilst breakfast was in course of prepar- 

 ation. They then played puchees, a game 

 greatly admired by all classes in the East ; and 

 after their morning meal, which consisted of 

 savoury and sweet pillaos, roasted partridges, 

 kabobs of the Kotapacha, a very delicate de- 

 scription of venison, and other good things, to 

 which the royal ladies did ample justice, smok- 

 ing was resorted to. They then walked in the 

 garden, under some fine shady trees, looked 

 after the household affairs, and issued supplies 

 for the day, or rather overlooked such issue. 

 These duties being fulfilled, puchees was again 

 played, the hookah being constantly smoked by 



