e grey goats' hair divan of the Patriarch's hall of audience has
led me a long way from the Patriarch himself, who entered the chamber
shortly after our arrival. He appeared to be rather a young man,
certainly not more than thirty-five years of age, with a reddish beard,
which is uncommon in this country. He was dressed in purple silk robes,
like a Greek bishop, and took his seat in the corner of the divan, and
said nothing, and stroked his beard as a pasha might have done.

When we had made our "temenahs," that is, salutations, and little bows,
&c., and were still again, the curtain over the doorway was pushed
aside, and various priestly servants, all without shoes, came in, one of
them bearing a richly embossed silver tray, on which were disposed small
spoons filled with a preserve of lemon-peel; each of us took a spoonful,
and returned the spoon to the dish. Then came various servants--as many
servants as guests--and one presented to each of us a cut-glass cup with
a lid, full of fresh spring-water. Then these disappeared; and others
came in bearing pipes to each of us--a separate servant always coming in
for each person of the company. After we had smoked our pipes for a
short time, a mighty crowd of attendants again entered at the bottom of
the room, among whom was one with a tray, which was covered over with a
satin shawl or cover as richly embroidered with gold as was possible for
its size, and with a deep gold fringe. Another servant took off this
covering, and placed it over the left shoulder of the tray-bearer, who
stood like a statue all the while. Now appeared a man with a silver
censer suspended by three silver chains, and having a coffee-pot
standing upon the burning coals within it. Another man took off the cups
which were upon the tray, filled them with coffee; and then various
servants, each armed with a coffee-cup placed on its silver zarf or
saucer, which he held in his left hand with his thumb and forefinger
only, strode forward with one accord, and we all at the same moment were
presented with our diminutive cup of coffee; the attendants received the
empty cups with both hands, and, walking backwards, disappeared as
silently as they came. All this is a scene of every-day occurrence in
the East, and, with more or less of display, takes place in the house of
every person of consideration.

When we had smoked our pipes for awhile, and all the servants had gone
away, I presented the letter of the Archbi