peace be with you!) and unbidden takes his seat on the nearest vacant spot
to the head person of the assembly. After the first surprise excited by
the stranger's intrusion, he looks at the master and says, 'I claim the
privilege of a brother'; by which it is to be understood the Arab requires
money from the richer man of his faith. A small sum is tendered, he
receives it without indicating any sense of obligation, rises from his
seat, and moves off with no other than the familiar salute which marked
his entrance, 'Salaam-oon-ali Koom!'[16]

A rich Eunuch, of Lucknow, accompanied Meer Hadjee Shaah on one of his
pilgrimages, with a large Kauflaah. Upon one occasion, when the whole
party were seated in friendly conclave, some of these idle Arabs entered
in the way described; the Eunuch was unacquainted with the language, or
the manners of Arabia, and expressed his dislike to their freedom in warm
language, and evident anger in his countenance; many had claimed the
tribute of brotherhood, when the Eunuch, who was accustomed in his own
country to receive respect and deference from inferiors, lost all patience
with the uncourtly intrusion of the Arabs, and evinced his wrath to the
proud Arab then present, who understood by his violent manners, if not by
his language, that he was offended with him. The good sense and kindly
manner of Meer Hadjee Shaah restored tranquillity in the assembly; he gave
money to the man, and apologized for his friend's ignorance of the customs
of Arabia: thus preventing the enraged Arab from fulfilling his threat of
forcing the Eunuch to appear before the Sheruff of Mecca.

Nudghiff Usheruff, the burying-place of Ali, is the resort of many pious
men of the Mussulmaun persuasion, as well as the shrine to be visited by
'the faithful' of the Sheah sect. Amongst the many singular stories I have
heard of the devout men of that religion, I select one from the number
relating to a man whose abode was--through choice--near the shrine of
their beloved Emaum Ali. I shall give it in exactly the style I have
received it, through my husband's translation, from an old work in the
Persian language.

'In the reign of Nadir Shaah,[17] a devout man of the faith took up his
abode in the vicinity of Nudghiff Usheruff in Arabia. He was a Syaad,
named Harshim;[18] a man of great learning, whose heart was set on seeking
with love the most merciful God, whom he served faithfully. Syaad Harshim,
conscious that the riches