he women luckily thought of offering me a bath, and
I accepted the proposal with great joy. Hot water was prepared, and
they made a sign for me to follow them, which I did, and found
myself in the sheep-stall, which, perhaps, had not been cleaned for
years, or indeed as long as it had stood. In this place they pushed
two stones together, upon which I was to stand, and in the presence
of the whole company, who followed me like my shadow, allow myself
to be bathed with water. I made signs to them to go out, as I
wished to perform this office myself; they did indeed leave me, but
as misfortune had it, the stall had no door, and they were all able
to look in just the same.

I passed four days among these people, the day time in dark
recesses, the evenings and nights upon the terraces. I was obliged,
like my hostess, constantly to squat down on the ground, and when I
wanted to write anything I had to make use of my knees instead of a
table. Every day they told me there was a caravan going away to-
morrow. Alas! they said so only to quiet me, they saw, perhaps, how
disagreeable the stay was to me. The women lounged about the whole
day sleeping or chattering, playing with, or scolding the children.
They preferred going about in dirty rags to mending and washing
them, and they allowed their children to tyrannize over them
completely.

When the latter wanted anything and did not get it, they threw
themselves on the ground, struck about with their hands and feet,
howling and shrieking until they obtained what they desired.

They had no fixed meal-times during the day, but the women and
children were constantly eating bread, cucumbers, melons and
buttermilk. In the evenings they bathed very much, and every one
washed their hands, faces, and feet, which ceremony was frequently
repeated three or four times before prayers; but there was a great
want of real devotion: in the middle of the prayers they chattered
right and left. However, there is not much difference with us.

Notwithstanding all these glaring and gross defects I found these
people very amiable: they willingly permitted themselves to be
taught, admitted their failings, and always allowed me to be right
when I said or explained anything to them. For example, the little
Ascha, a girl seven years of age was very intractable. If she was
denied anything she threw herself on the ground, crying miserably,
rolling about in the filth and dirt, and smearing with