360 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



them no, not to our dearest friend, not for life 

 itself. 



By the time we were home again from the bazaars, 

 that part of the house which at noon was the coolest, 

 was, now that the sun was down, simply unbearable. 

 The atmosphere was close and heavy, and clouds of 

 mosquitoes hung about, filling the ah- with an omin- 

 ous everlasting hum. This hour of parting day, as 

 the bullying sun is dipping behind the glowing 

 horizon, is the hour at which all Baghdad flies to 

 the house-top. There, a gentle breeze coming down 

 the river fans your cheek, and puts to utter con- 

 fusion the adventurous mosquitoes who followed 

 you like a pack of hounds as you fled through the 

 yard and lower rooms. On looking about you, over 

 the broad open terrace of the house, it would appear 

 that some good kind genii had been at work, and 

 had transported hither by a shake of his head 

 everything appertaining to your evening's comfort. 

 A table is spread, and preparations evidently for 

 dinner are being made by a crowd of servants. 

 Other servants are standing about, arms folded, and 

 with a resigned, long-suffering look on their counten- 

 ances, as if they had been waiting your arrival ever 

 since daylight. A tiny cup of black coffee is pre- 

 sented to you, and the amber end of a long cherry- 

 stick wheeling round approaches your lips. Sipping 

 the black coffee, and coquetting with the smooth, 

 clouded amber that yields generously to the slightest 



