Page:The Nestorians and their rituals, volume 1.djvu/391

Rh it should be produced, but he begged me to defer offering it to hira until he was alone, fearing no doubt that some of his chiefs might claim a share. Late in the evening he came unattended to our tent, when the present was opened out before him in due form, and Mrs. Badger then paid Amshé, his favourite wife, a complimentary visit for a similar purpose. Her description of this lady, and the domestic life of the other females of the harem, confirmed me in the opinion that the Arabs are the dirtiest people under the sun.

Our supper was sent us from the Sheikh's tent, and consisted of a boiled lamb, wheaten cakes, two immense dishes of pilau, and four bowls of sour milk mixed with shreds of garlic. I observed that the Arabs gave us two cups of coffee, and even a third; whereas, among the Turks and other orientals, the offering of a second cup to a guest would be regarded as a hint that his company was no longer desired.

We retired to rest soon after supper, Mrs. Badger and I in one tent, and the remainder of our party in another close by. We had not lain long when the wind blew a perfect hurricane, the rain descended in torrents, and our frail dwelling-place was carried away from our heads. We were now in the most miserable plight imaginable, our clothes and bedding were thoroughly drenched, and we were exposed to the violence of the storm without any shelter, as most of the tents in the neighbourhood had shared a similar fate. Amshé's tent was no longer to be seen, whilst her husband was comfortably lodged in one more securely pitched with one of his concubines, of whom he had four. The Arabs soon came and assisted to raise our fallen habitation, and we afterwards slept soundly, little dreaming that we were in the midst of thieves. In the morning, however, we found to our dismay that my travelling boots, which Sufoog himself had coveted the day before, and several articles of Mrs. Badger's dress, had been purloined during the night; and not having brought any change with us, Mrs. Badger was obliged to put on a silk garment which we had intended to give to the guide Husein, and I was reduced to the necessity of riding barefoot. Sufoog, on hearing of the robbery, sent his son Ferhan to examine all the tents in the vicinity; but to no avail, the articles were not to be found. This treacherous