354 APPENDIX. 



our reminding him how impossible it would be for a 

 Mussulman to forego his word, he gave orders, that his 

 favourite and beautiful wife should be led into our pre- 

 sence. This lady was, indeed, most lovely, and I should 

 suppose about twenty-one years of age ; she was the 

 first of her religion I had ever seen unveiled, except, 

 perhaps, for a chance passing glimpse, although I had 

 previously travelled through many Mahomedan countries, 

 including Albania, Turkey in Europe, some portion of 

 Asia, and had spent a considerable time in the Barbary 

 state of Morocco. 



We were all, without exception, enchanted with her 

 appearance. Her dress was very curious and becoming. 

 On her head, she wore a small scarlet fez, or cloth cap, 

 her hair was braided into two tails, hanging gracefully 

 behind, most magnificent earrings of massive gold de- 

 pending from her tiny ears, her neck almost hid by 

 aldermanic chains of purest ore, a vest of blue velvet, 

 embroidered with such care and elegance that whole 

 years seemed to have been spent on its execution, and a 

 short jacket, vying, likemse, in richness with the other 

 portions of her costly attire. Her waist (ah ! such a 

 waist ! Titian's Venus can scarce boast the like, no tight- 

 laced stay had ere profaned it) was encircled by an enor- 

 mous stomacher of plates silver-gilt, the centre-piece of 

 which was circular, and about ten to twelve inches in 

 diameter ; beneath this, and partially concealing it, 

 was a handsome shawl, wound round her body ; a pair 

 of wide loose trowsers made up the sum total of her 

 attire : slippers, she wore none, to conceal her elegant 

 little feet. 



