402 
CARAVANSARY AT GUZ. 
square platform, which occupies the centre; and, round it the 
packages of the travellers are piled up in heaps. Reposing in 
the open air is not merely a luxury to all orders of people in 
this climate, at this season, but is indispensable to their healths 
and their comfort in many other respects ; close apartments being 
often not only intolerable from heat, but often sorely infested 
with vermin both great and small. One ample entrance leads 
into the caravansary, the gates of which are closed soon after 
sun-set; and only occasionally re-opened during the night for 
the egress of departing guests. Beneath the extensive vaulted 
roof of the porch, are the quarters of the keeper, or warden, 
and his people ; with the shop, and other repositories of the 
accommodations he prepares for travellers. Amongst this nu¬ 
merous store, we see exposed to sale, tobacco, rice, grapes, 
water-melons, eggs, grease, bread, wood, corn, moss, &c. This 
last article is a beverage of acidulated milk, and when diluted 
with water, is a favourite drink with the natives; the antiquity 
of the beverage is so great, that Plutarch mentions it as part 
of the ceremony at the consecration of the Persian kings, to quaff 
off a large goblet of this acidulated mixture : an apt emblem 
of the sweets and sours that fill the cup of royalty ! Every com¬ 
modity being sold at double the ordinary price, the renter of the 
caravansary is enabled to pay liberally to the agent of the crown 
for his privilege, and to realise a very handsome profit besides. 
In most of the caravansaries which remain from earlier times, 
there are three or four vaulted chambers over the grand portico, 
which have always been held in more dignity than any others of 
the building. These are perforated on all sides with apertures 
and doors; being a sort of temple of the winds, imbibing a 
breeze or blast at every pore. Indeed I had never the honour of 
being conducted to one of them, without incurring the penalty 
