466 
DRESS OF THE MOULLAHS. 
is sung out in a kind of cadence, or musical air, not disagreeable 
when the voice is good, and capable of sustaining a long shake , 
with which the awzaun concludes; and the fine execution of 
which forms one of the greatest ambitions of these young ser¬ 
vitors of the Mahomedan church. The support of the village 
Moullahs, or priests, chiefly arises from the produce of certain 
lands, for which they pay no tax; and, secondly, from dona¬ 
tions received from the people. The priesthood of the cities 
are often richly endowed by gifts from the opulent liadjee khans ; 
but in the midst of wealth, they are expected to live in extreme 
simplicity. Hence, many affect a particular abstinence from 
the usual pleasures of mankind ; even relinquishing, in part, the 
gratifications of society; and, above all, never dissipating their 
holy reserve by conversing familiarly with a foreigner, whatever be 
his rank or learning. A peculiar personal sanctity, too, is some¬ 
times assumed by the very rigid ; who, deeming Christians unclean 
in a religious sense, are scrupulous to avoid coming in contact 
with them, lest by the touch of their garments, theirs should 
be contaminated. When such a misfortune does take place, 
nothing under a total immersion of themselves and their habili- 
ments, can restore them to their original purity. This super¬ 
stition prevails also amongst some of the bigoted laymen ; and 
mostly with those who are remote from frequent intercourse 
with Europeans. In the north of the empire, so little are such 
prejudices known, that, with a very few exceptions, there is 
scarcely a Persian to be found who would not eat out of the 
same tray with you. 
The Moullahs differ in dress from their lay countrymen in 
several points. They wrap their heads in a shawl, or long 
piece of white linen ; the descendants of the Prophet use green ; 
