in George,
that he allowed his horses to be taken away, whither and for how long he
know not.

It is a noble climate where you can start of a fine morning, with a
certainty that the weather will continue and fulfil its promise. One
starts light without any wrappings, or any thing more than he has on.
One _teschare_, or passport, was our luggage for three. Our first little
adventure was about this same _teschare_. It is to be got, as are all
things in this land, only through the medium of interpreters and
kawashs. A first-rate bore it is to be in all matters of business
subjected to the ministration of these gentry: and what a pity it is
that some steady Englishmen will not qualify themselves to fulfil their
functions. But, from the most important diplomatic negotiations down to
the most trivial matter of convenience, procedure can only be had
through such agency: at least almost without exception at present,
whatever revolutions may lurk in the recent studies of the _attaches_ at
Constantinople.

Mahmoud, the Janissary--by the way it is odd that they should call this
consular body-guard of one by such a name--brought us the document, and
then, of course, stood by to pocket his _backshish_. We were then making
our final preparations for the start, laying in a little personal
provender at the _restaurant_ in Frank Street, at the door of which
stood our animals, saddled and impatient.

"Give him his tip," we said to S----, who had been installed pay-master
for the nonce.

A smile and a coin were forthwith presented to the functionary. "Bow,
wow, wow," or something like it, uttered by our Mahometan friend, made
us look up, and we saw him unaccepting and unsmiling. "Why, thou greedy
varlet," (friend, the words were innocuous, because unintelligible,)
"'tis by so much exactly too much for thee."

It is an amusing thing to have a dispute where words will not second
energy. Such a scene have I noted more than once, as a fine
psychological demonstration. You abuse a guide or a donkey driver in a
language he does not understand, for disobeying directions that he did
not understand, word or particle. The whole thing is absurd, and as a
man of sense you ought to be philosophical. But when I have noted you in
such case, and seen that you do not lose your temper, nor abuse the
offender in round English, I will set you down as of placid temperament.
Mahmoud growled, and looked as if he would fain have resumed the paper,
or abd