36 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



back, and thus securely fastened. Now, if it had 

 come to pass that any old woman, even granting she 

 were the ugliest and most malicious of her sex, had 

 looked upon us as we rode forth, the glance of her 

 evil eye would have been turned off from us by these 

 turquoise-coloured beads as effectually as is the dagger- 

 point by the steel cuirass. So at least my groom 

 told me, when I asked him one day what was the 

 meaning of these ornaments. This said groom was 

 a singularly silent, gloomy - looking individual. He 

 had his own peculiar way of doing everything. Any 

 remonstrance of mine against his odd fancies I found 

 of not the slightest avail. What I thought was a 

 strange whim of his, was the saving up the blood of 

 a hare that had been shot. Hares are very scarce in 

 Persia, but now and then I did manage to shoot one 

 on the line of march. "Whenever this happened, my 

 groom looked upon it as a most auspicious event. It 

 was one of the few occasions on which he really 

 appeared pleased. With a grim smile of joy he would 

 instantly fasten upon the hare, and, drawing forth a 

 little leathern case, which I believe he kept expressly 

 for the purpose, he would most scrupulously treasure 

 up in it every drop of blood that was obtainable. The 

 first time I saw him thus engaged I felt curious to 

 know for what purpose he was taking such infinite 

 trouble. He informed me, with an air of mystery, 

 that the blood of a hare, sprinkled on the barley that 

 was given in the evening to a horse, would greatly 



