Page:Adventures of Baron Wenceslas Wratislaw of Mitrowitz (1862).djvu/127

 and the Turks allow no one to shoot or injure them, saying that it is a sacred bird, because, in the time of Mahomet their prophet, when he began to build a temple in the midst of Mecca, these kites brought him things that were not at hand in sufficient abundance for the building, e. g. sand, stones, lime, and water, and loyally assisted their Mahomet in building the temple. It is in the same city, Mecca, that the body of their false prophet lies very magnificently entombed.

There are, also, in Constantinople certain persons who, for the sake of a Divine recompence, carry everywhere about the city fresh spring water in leathern bags, with tubes in them like bagpipes, out of which they pour the water into tin cups, and whosoever wishes to drink, be he Turk, Christian, or Jew, they give him to drink. Many in their last wills give directions for this, and appoint perpetual wages for persons who serve in this manner.

A great many fowls go also about the city, one after another in a row, and sometimes by tens, twenties, and even fifties, and their guide, who leads them from one house to another, and asks for alms, is either afflicted with defective sight, or blind of one eye. To these no one ever refuses alms, for they hold them for holy people, because they are said to have been at the city of Mecca, and to have visited and seen the most holy tomb of Mahomet. On this account, therefore, desiring nothing for themselves in this world, and not wishing to gaze any longer on vanities, they voluntarily heat an iron red hot, and, strewing a certain powder upon it, hold their eyes over it until they are dissolved, firmly believing that, in recompence for this their blindness,