Keef-Smoking 



for I could finish the other end, copying the pattern of the 

 one already done. We bought keef^ which appears to be a 

 small leaf, growing along a certain kind of hemp-stalk, and 

 retired to our housetop to make the experiment. 



Our imaginations were filled with a forecast of the 

 brilliant dreams about to draw their magic-lantern shadows 

 across the white sheet of the lulled mind. I knew well 

 enough whither away my spirit would flee, to be at rest, and 

 my heart beat loudly as I lit the little pipeful of what 

 seemed very like sawdust. But though I drew breath after 

 breath, down to the very bottom of my lungs, and vigorously 

 prepared to be much affected, I could not perceive that it pro- 

 duced any effect whatever, nor could Harry. He disliked 

 the peculiar flavour of the herb, which I found rather agree- 

 able than otherwise. After smoking three or four pipes, 

 the experiment was given up as a failure. 



In the meantime a (no doubt) lovely creature, entirely 

 enveloped in her haik^ was walking about on the adjoining 

 roof. She seemed inclined to pay us, at least, the compli- 

 ment of curiosity, and stared us so much out of countenance 

 through her eye-holes, that we were forced to go to the 

 other side of the roof. Here we saw a cat take a run and 

 a flying-leap over the narrow street, and we could not help 

 observing that the gay Lotharios of the East no doubt 

 watch circumspectly how the cat jumps. The houses, which 

 are very inaccessible every way but from the top, stand so 

 close together, that a good leaper might easily travel from 

 one end of the town to the other on their roofs. They 

 are all detached from one another, at a distance which is no 

 doubt deemed safe by lethargic old Orientals, bundled in 

 long robes, against all eaves-droppers. Besides, lepers are 

 turned out of Eastern cities. 



Summoned downstairs by the Jews coming with what we 



i8o 



