t on the fire to boil,
occasionally stirring it with a small stick as the water rises to
check the ebullition and prevent overflowing. Nor is the boiling
stage to be long or vehement: on the contrary, it is and should be
as light as possible. In the interim he takes out of another
rag-knot a few aromatic seeds called heyl, an Indian product, but
of whose scientific name I regret to be wholly ignorant, or a
little saffron, and after slightly pounding these ingredients,
throws them into the simmering coffee to improve its flavour, for
such an additional spicing is held indispensable in Arabia though
often omitted elsewhere in the East. Sugar would be a totally
unheard of profanation. Last of all, he strains off the liquor
through some fibres of the inner palm-bark placed for that purpose
in the jug-spout, and gets ready the tray of delicate
parti-coloured grass, and the small coffee cups ready for pouring
out. All these preliminaries have taken up a good half-hour.

Meantime we have become engaged in active conversation with our
host and his friends. But our Sherarat guide, Suleyman, like a true
Bedouin, feels too awkward when among townsfolk to venture on the
upper places, though repeatedly invited, and accordingly has
squatted down on the sand near the entrance. Many of Ghafil's
relations are present; their silver-decorated swords proclaim the
importance of the family. Others, too, have come to receive us, for
our arrival, announced beforehand by those we had met at the
entrance pass, is a sort of event in the town; the dress of some
betokens poverty, others are better clad, but all have a very
polite and decorous manner. Many a question is asked about our
native land and town, that is to say, Syria and Damascus,
conformably to the disguise already adopted, and which it was
highly important to keep well up; then follow enquiries regarding
our journey, our business, what we have brought with us, about our
medicines, our goods and wares, etc., etc. From the very first it
is easy for us to perceive that patients and purchasers are likely
to abound. Very few travelling merchants, if any, visit the Djowf
at this time of year, for one must be mad, or next door to it, to
rush into the vast desert around during the heats of June and July;
I for one ha