MOSLEM DEVOTIONS. 311 



towards Mecca, their heads had been, m conse- 

 quence of a turn of the vessel, in quite a contrary 

 direction. They would turn themselves and their 

 carpets, and, with countenances of woe and des- 

 pair, begin again their half-finished devotions; 

 again, by a turn of the vessel in the winding 

 course of the river, would the direction of their 

 countenances be utterly changed ; and again 

 would they, on observing that they could not 

 keep their faces towards Mecca, rise, and change 

 the position of their carpets. It was useless, 

 the vessel would change its course in spite of 

 the laws of Mahomet, and I never saw men 

 whom a trifle appeared more seriously to dis- 

 compose, or in whose countenances more sincere 

 regret was depicted, for their utter inability to 

 follow to the letter of the law the ceremonies 

 prescribed by their religion. 



It is difficult to comprehend how a Moslem can 

 sufficiently abstract his thoughts from what is 

 passing around him, to go through, as he does at 

 all times, at all places, and under all circum- 

 stances, the prayers and prostrations which his 

 rehgion enjoins; nothing appears to interrupt 

 him, never is his eye perceived to wander, the 



