34 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



fell to work, their right shoulders leaning well for- 

 ward, and the left hand drawn back and carefully 

 concealed. Two bowls of curds were placed in the 

 centre of the carpet ; into this all from time to time 

 dipped the forefinger, and then disposed of what 

 adhered to it in a manner that was far more effectual 

 than elegant. As the repast advanced, so did good 

 feeling and fellowship prevail. Our little sherbet- 

 dar, a good-humoured, round-faced little fellow, was 

 to be seen tearing off the choice bits of the meat, 

 and cramming them with his own fingers into the 

 mouth of the gholaum. This was by way of paying 

 a great compliment ; and the gholaum, it was evident, 

 took it as such, for he tried hard to look happy, not- 

 withstanding the gravy streamed from his mouth and 

 the tears from his eyes. 



Now, a word about our own party. We had ar- 

 rived at Shiraz a party of five four Englishmen and 

 a Swede ; but, according to prearranged plans, our 

 party was here to break up. One was to return to 

 Teheran, and, as we heard afterwards, riding in hot 

 haste, and fired as we could only suppose by the 

 zeal of diplomacy, he accomplished the distance, 520 

 miles, in the extraordinary short time of five days. 

 Considering the miserable half-starved horses, which 

 are the only ones procurable at the post-houses, and 

 on which this journey was performed, it must have 

 been a ride of great fatigue and continued exertion ; 

 and to have been accomplished in the time that it 



