d penetrate them; or if a wandering beam found entrance through the
thick natural trellice-work, it was only enough to cover some little tuft
of violets or strawberries, its own offspring, growing up in its genial
warmth with a strength and vigour pre-eminent amidst the pale and sickly
brood of the neglected children of the shade. Nothing I had ever imagined
of the loveliness of nature equalled the reality of these scenes."

_Coffee in the East_.

"On entering the zennanah, the old governante, Kamalia, having counted us
on her four skinny fingers, proceeded to fulfil that sacred rite, never
omitted in the east, of presenting refreshments; without the heartless and
niggardly-ceremony of appealing to the guests, as is wont in Europe, to
learn whether they will take them or not, looking on those who receive
them with an evil eye. I followed Kamalia to know how the genuine oriental
coffee is made. Good mussulmans can alone make good coffee; for, being
interdicted from the use of ardent spirits, their palate is more exquisite
and their relish greater."

"Thus it is:--A bright charcoal fire was burning in a small stove. She
first took, for four persons, four handsful of the small, pale, mocha
berry, little bigger than barley. These had been carefully picked and
cleaned. She put them into an iron vessel, where, with admirable quickness
and dexterity, they were roasted till their colour was somewhat darkened,
and the moisture not exhaled. The over-roasted ones were picked out, and
the remainder, while very hot, put into a large wooden mortar, where they
were instantly pounded by another woman. This done, Kamalia passed the
powder through a camel's-hair cloth; and then repassed it through a finer
cloth. Meanwhile a coffee-pot, containing exactly four cups of water, was
boiling. This was taken off, one cup of water poured out, and three cups
full of the powder, after she had ascertained its impalpability between
her finger and thumb, were stirred in with a stick of cinnamon. When
replaced on the fire on the point of over-boiling, it was taken off, the
heel of the pot struck against the hob, and again put on the fire. This
was repeated five or six times. I forgot to mention she added a very
minute piece of mace, not enough to make its flavour distinguishable; and
that the coffee-pot must be of tin, and uncovered, or it cannot form a
thick cream on the surface, which it ought to do. After it was taken, for
the last time, from the