212 TKAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



is full of ceremony ; prayer follows prayer, and one 

 unacquainted with their character could not believe 

 that the man who in the most solemn manner calls 

 upon God to bless you to take you into His keep- 

 ing who prays that your journey may be propitious, 

 it is difficult for an Englishman to believe that, 

 while so doing, a native of this country, if he does 

 not mean anything worse, means only the per- 

 formance of a mere ceremony. But such is the 

 custom of the country, and in sooth, on every occa- 

 sion they have the name of God on their lips, though 

 their hearts are far from Him. How different was 

 the parting with my English friends and companions ! 

 Ah, well ! good-luck to them, and may I again fall 

 amongst such worthy and gentlemanly men. An old 

 Persian gentleman was, I think, sincere in his good 

 wishes an old Hadji, who, one way or another, has 

 received some favours at my hands. He appeared 

 much distressed, and talked about the dangers of the 

 road. Wishing to cheer my old friend, I told him 

 I should study the art of mule-driving on the jour- 

 ney, so that, when sold to the Turkomans, I might 

 be able to make myself useful. He was much horri- 

 fied, and when he had finished his hurried exclama- 

 tions of " God forbid ! " &c., he said he hoped better 

 things, though he confessed that the hour of my 

 departure was far from favourable, and much similar 

 to the one on which Colonel Stoddart started for 

 Bokhara ! I urged that though there was much sense 



