OF THE OLD WOKLD. 105 



est and prettiest then stepped forward and placed 

 garlands of double jessamine flowers round our 

 necks, at the same time presenting each of us with 

 a lime and a curiously-fashioned bouquet, tied to a 

 short stick of sandal wood. They then deluged us 

 with rose water, and scented us with otto of roses 

 and oil of sandal, and tripped away to the rest of 

 the performers in the centre of the circle. 



The music, which up to this time had been rather 

 monotonous, now broke forth into that extremely 

 beautiful Persian air, by the immortal Hafiz, " Taza 

 ba Taza, Now ba Now," and each of the fair min- 

 strels, taking up the words of the song one by one, 

 it gradually swelled into a full chorus ; so, in a like 

 manner, one by one they commenced their graceful 

 and voluptuous measure until all were in movement, 

 and at last their beautiful sylph-like forms seemed 

 to flit before us as in a vision. 



As I reclined upon the sedan, inhaling the fragrant 

 narcotic from my hookah, which at the same time 

 soothes and exhilarates, and drank in the words of 

 the songs, I felt a strange delightfully ravishing sen- 

 sation stealing gently over my senses, such as I never 

 before experienced ; and as I gazed on the graceful, 

 fawn-like carriage of the exquisite figures, cast in the 

 purest mould of elegance, before me, I thought of the 

 prophet's seventh heaven, and the green-kerchiefed 

 damsels who ever attend " the Faithful " in Para- 

 dise. 



Their regular features, soft skins, and full swim- 



