CH, V. OFFEEINGS OF PEOVISIONS. 103 



would have thought refined and exquisite. Orange- 

 flower water was provided for washing the fingers, and 

 incense was burned at the beginning of the repast. Our 

 host was attentive enough to pick out and present to us 

 choice pieces of meat or vegetable from the dishes that 

 followed each other in slow order, but he fortunately did 

 not think it necessary to show the utmost mark of hos- 

 pitable attention by taking an especially delicate morsel 

 from his own mouth and thrusting it into that of a guest. 

 It was quite ten o'clock when, after further potations of 

 green tea, we returned to our tents. Presently Hooker 

 was requested, through Abraham, oux interpreter, to 

 receive the mona, or offering of food, which, in accord- 

 ance with the Sultan's order, was to be provided at each 

 place where we stopped on our journey. The mona on 

 this occasion befitted the dignity of the Governor of an 

 important province rather than the wants of three tra- 

 vellers who had just been abundantly fed, and whose 

 retinue could not, with the best intentions, consume one 

 half of the articles supplied. 



Opposite the door of our large tent a number of the 

 Grovernor's servants appeared, the whole group being lit up 

 by torchlight. First, five live sheep were dragged forward, 

 then twenty fowls, then followed a large hollow dish filled 

 with eggs. To these succeeded a very large earthen jar of 

 butter, and another of honey, a package of green tea, four 

 loaves of sugar, candles of French manufacture, which are 

 largely imported, and finally corn for our horses and mules. 

 As if all this were not enough, there then advanced a pro- 

 cession of men, carrying the usual large dishes with bee- 

 hive covers, each of which in turn was laid down before 

 Hooker. It may be here mentioned that the presentation 

 of mona was henceforward a daily ceremony, repeated 

 every evening, some time after our arrival in camp. The 

 requisition was made by the soldiers of our escort upon the 

 local authority, whether a governor or a mere village sheik ; 

 and this was a part of their duties which they performed 



