250 AMUSING ATTEMPTS TO STEAL. [CH. VI. 



able solemnity, and abstracted looks, while at times his 



branch 



" he held on high, 

 With wasted hand and haggard eye. 

 And strange and mingled feelings woke, 

 While his anathema he spoke."*- Scott. 



All this contrasted strangely with the useful occupation of 

 honest Vulcan, whom I had positively enjoined not to laugh, 

 or stop working. At length, I prevailed on an old man to 

 sit down by me, and gave him a clasp-knife in order to check 

 the search, he was disposed to make through my pockets. 

 Meanwhile, the others came around the forge, and immedi- 

 ately began to pilfer, whatever they could lay either hand 

 or foot upon. While one was detected making off with a file, 

 another seized something else, until the poor blacksmith 

 could no longer proceed with his work. One set his foot on 

 an axe, and thus, all the while staring the overseer (who 

 eyed him) in the face, he quickly receded several yards, 

 jumping backwards, to another, who stood ready behind him 

 to take the tool. Some jogged their neighbours at the mo- 

 ments most opportune for plundering ; and an old man made 

 amusing attempts to fish up a horse-shoe into the hollow of a 

 tree. The best of this part of the scene was, that they did 

 not mind being observed by any one, except the blacksmith, 

 supposing that they were robbing him only. Vulcan was 

 at last tempted to give one of them a push, when a scene 

 of chaunting, spitting,t and throwing dust, commenced on 



* Burder in his Oriental Customs says (No. 187), "An opinion prevailed 

 both in those days and after ages, that some men had a power, by tlie help of 

 their gods, to devote not only particular persons, but whole armies to destruc- 

 tion. This they are said to have done, sometimes by words of imprecation, of 

 which there was a set form among some people, which iEschines calls Sioqi^o- 

 fitvt)v apav, the determinate crirse. Sometimes tlicy also offered sacrifices, and 

 used certain rites and ceremonies witli solemn charms." 



t " The malediction of the Turks, as of other oriental nations, is frequently 

 expressed in no other way than by spitthuj on t/te ground."— Clarke's Travels, 

 vol. ill. page 225. Mons. D'Arvieux tells us, " the Arabs are sometimes disposed 

 to think, that when a person spits, it is done out of contempt; and that they 



