rpet. The moment I recognized him, I let go his beard, of which
I had got a fast hold, and, owing to that habit of respect which we
Persians show to our parents, would have kissed his hand and stood
before him; but my life was in danger if I appeared to flinch, so I
continued to struggle with him, and in order to show myself in earnest,
pretending to beat him, I administered my blows to a mule's pack-saddle
that was close to where he lay. This while I heard my father muttering
to himself, 'Ah, if Hajji was here, he would not permit me to be served
in this way!' which had such an effect upon me, that I immediately let
him go, and exclaimed in Turkish to the surrounding Turcomans: 'He won't
do for us; he's only a barber.' So without more ceremony I quitted the
scene of action, mounted my horse, and retreated in full gallop through
the city.

CHAPTER VI

Concerning the three prisoners taken by the Turcomans, and of the booty
made in the caravanserai.

When we had reached our place of rendezvous, we dismounted from our
horses, and made a halt to rest them, and to recruit ourselves after
the fatigues of the night. One of the party had not forgotten to steal
a lamb as we rode along, which was soon put into a fit state to be
roasted. It was cut up into small pieces, which were stuck on a ram-rod,
and placed over a slow fire made of what underwood we could find, mixed
up with the dung of the animals, and, thus heated, was devoured most
ravenously by us all.

Our next care was to ascertain the value of our prisoners. One was a
tall thin man, about fifty years of age, with a sharp eye, a hollow
aguish cheek, a scanty beard, wearing a pair of silken drawers, and a
shawl undercoat. The other was a short round man, of a middle age, with
a florid face, dressed in a dark vest, buttoning over his breast, and
looked like an officer of the law. The third was stout and hairy, of
rough aspect, of a strong vigorous form, and who was bound with more
care than the others on account of the superior resistance which he had
made.

After we had finished our meal, and distributed the remains of it to
the prisoners, we called them before us, and questioned them as to their
professions and situations in life. The tall thin man, upon whose rich
appearance the Turcomans founded their chief hope, was first examined,
and as I was the only one of our party who could talk Persian, I stood
interpreter.

'Who and what are you?' said Aslan Su