James Justinian Morier

“ I very soon found that ‎this exhibition of my abilities and profession might be ‎productive of the greatest advantage to my future prospects. ‎Every fellow who had a head to scratch immediately found out ‎that he wanted shaving, and my reputation soon reached the ‎ears of the chief, who called me to him, and ordered me to ‎operate upon him without loss of time. I soon went to work ‎upon a large head that exhibited the marks of many a sword ‎cut, and which presented as rough a surface as that of the ‎sheep dogs aforementioned. ”

“ A large cauldron, filled with rice, was boiled, ‎and two sheep were roasted whole. The men, consisting of our ‎chief's relations, who came from the surrounding tents, and ‎most of whom had been at the attack of our caravan, were ‎assembled in one tent, whilst the women were collected in ‎another. After the rice and the sheep had been served up to the ‎men, they were carried to the women, and when they had ‎done, the shepherds' boys were served, and, after they had ‎devoured their utmost, the bones and scrapings of dishes were ‎given to us and the dogs. ”

“ I brought to his mind that ‎constant refuge of every true Mussulman in grief, 'Allah ‎kerim!—God is merciful!' His answer was, 'Allah kerim, Allah ‎kerim, is all very well for you who had nothing to lose ”