SHIEAZ TO BUSHIRE. 33 



and would have formed a precedent for the rest of 

 the journey a state of affairs he was by no means 

 anxious to arrive at. So, no sooner was the gholaum 

 about to take the much-desired-for seat at the end of 

 the carpet, than the Pardoner dropped so suddenly 

 on his heels at the corner, that the guest was obliged 

 to take the seat opposite. Thus they remained equi- 

 distant from the seat of honour. Immediately they 

 settled in their places, the Pardoner showed that he 

 was desirous of removing, as much as lay in his power, 

 any unpleasant feeling that might have arisen in the 

 breast of the gholaum from his late disappointment. 

 He assured him that, with such a Eoostum such a 

 Hercules as he most undoubtedly was, we should 

 have no cause to fear on our coming journey that 

 we should certainly burn the beards of all the Buk- 

 tiarees in the mountains. The gholaum pulled up 

 his moustaches, and looked well pleased at the com- 

 pliment, as he said, " Insliallali " " By the grace of 

 God, we will burn all their fathers ; " and then he 

 asked, fiercely, " "Whose dogs are the Buktiarees, 

 that they will venture to attack such as we are 1 " 

 The ferashes and the grooms brought large flaps of 

 bread, one of Avhich was laid before each person. 

 These served as a sort of plate. Then came the 

 different joints of the sheep, boiled, as we should 

 say, to rags, and smothered in mountains of rice. 

 AVith the rice were mixed raisins, onions, and cloves 

 a discretion. A^ery soon the servants, one and all, 

 VOL. vi. c 



