eat and be at
peace." The meal was ample which the angel brought to this virtuous family,
and having placed it before them, he vanished from their sight.'

The Chuckee, before mentioned, is two flat circular stones (resembling
grindstones in England), the upper stone has a peg or handle fixed in it,
near the edge, with which it is forced round, by the person grinding, who
is seated on the floor; the corn is thrown in through a circular hole on
the upper stone, and the flour works out at the edges between the two
stones. This is the only method of grinding corn for the immense
population throughout Oude, and most other parts of Hindoostaun even to
the present day. The late King of Oude, Ghauzieood deen Hyder, was at one
time much pressed by some English friends of his, to introduce water-mills,
for the purpose of grinding corn; he often spoke of the proposed plan to
the Meer, and declared his sole motive for declining the improvement was
the consideration he had for the poor women, who by this employment made
an excellent living in every town and village, and who must, by the
introduction of mills, be distressed for the means of support. 'My poor
women', he would often say, 'shall never have cause to reproach me, for
depriving them of the use and benefit of their chuckee.'

I have before said it is not my intention to offer opinions on the
character of the Mussulmaun people, my business being merely to relate
such things as I have heard and seen amongst them. The several
translations and anecdotes I take the opportunity of placing in these
letters, are from authorities the Mussulmauns style, hudeeth
(authentic),--that are not, cannot, be doubted, as they have been handed
down either by Mahumud or by the Emaums, whose words are equally to be
relied on. When any passages in their sacred writings are commented on by
different authors, they give their authority for the opinion offered, as
Emaum Such-a-one explains it thus. You understand, therefore, that the
Mussulmauns believe these miracles to have occurred to the members of
their Prophet's family as firmly as we believe in the truth of our Holy
Scripture.

[1] _Kahani_.

[2] _Thandi_.

[3] See p. 13.

[4] _Rozadar_, 'one who keeps fast' (_roza_).

[5] _Spinacea oleracea_, or _Basella alba_.

[6] Dhall [_dal_] is a sort of pea, sometimes cooked in a savoury way
with garlic, salt, ghee, pepper and herbs. It is about the consistence
of thick pea-soup--but