410 EICHESS AND MAHRIAM. 



Mahriam. It appeared to be no joke, although, if 

 a ridiculous absurdity could have suspended my 

 predisposition to the fever paroxysm, it would have 

 been this beautifying operation. The whole year pre- 

 viously, every depilatory means by which to eradi- 

 cate the natural hairs of the eyebrows had been 

 employed, and the pertinacious industry with which 

 this had been done, I noticed on my previous visit 

 had occasioned an expression of vacuity that w r as 

 not at all wanted in the ever-smiling expanse of 

 countenance which Mahriam displayed over a bust, 

 breast, and body, so large and fat, that darkened the 

 house immediately if she stood a moment in the 

 wide door-way. One half of the right eye-brow had 

 been done two or three days previously, a very 

 promising dry scab of charcoal and the natural 

 secretion consequent upon a sore had formed, and 

 which was looked at by Eichess with all the 

 interest that a mother may be supposed to examine 

 the progress of the virus influence upon her 

 recently vaccinated child. In a word, it was 

 pronounced to be promising very well, and 

 the instruments and dye were then produced to 

 finish the buisness. Eichess sat upon a boss of 

 straw, and Mahriam knelt dow r n before her, whilst 

 Walderheros, to encourage the latter to bear the pain 

 with fortitude, told her to be sure and recollect she 

 was a man. A bundle of long white thorns, which 

 I recognised as belonging to the commonest kind 

 of mimosa, were now taken from a rag in which 



