PEAR. 289 



good to be cut into moulds." The plates in his book were 

 cut out of this wood, as were, says he, " breast-plates for 

 English gentlewomen." Sir William Ouseley tells us that 

 the Persians make their beautiful Kashuks, or spoons, 

 from this wood ; the Mahometan religion prohibiting 

 them from using at their meals, spoons, or any part of the 

 table-service, made of gold or silver. This injunction of 

 their prophet is most religiously observed ; but for this 

 privation they fully compensate themselves in the luxurious 

 and splendid equipage of their coffee ; it being no uncom- 

 mon thing to see their zarph (an outer cup in which the 

 china cup containing the coffee is put) of enamelled gold, 

 ornamented with diamonds to the value of from ten thou- 

 sand to thirty thousand piastres. 



