The evenings are perfectly calm,
though not always cloudless.
Yesterday five maharees arrived from Tintaghoda, mounted by persons who
came to inquire after the health of En-Noor. They left early this
morning. Somehow or other these maharees always look suspicious to me.
The injuries we have received make us suspicious.
I ate some honey of Aheer to-day. It has a most treacley taste, and, in
truth, is not unlike treacle, not having the delicate flavour of honey.
It has purgative qualities. They boil it on the fire, and so spoil it.
I wrote to-day to Viscount Palmerston, to Mr. Gagliuffi, and my wife,
sending also specimens of the Kailouee language, and the journal of
Yusuf, describing the route from Ghat to Aheer--altogether a good
parcel.
The Arabs and Moors try to measure everything by portions of their body.
The draa, a measure from the elbow to the tips of the fingers, is in
universal requisition. The fathom, signified by the arms extended on
both sides the body, is not so frequently in use. The sun is often said
to be so many fathoms high. If we attended a little more to these
natural measures it might be well, although the human body being so
various in size we could never be correct, and then we might lose sight
of those artificial means of measuring objects which distinguish us from
the semi-barbarian Arabs.
This evening I heard from Es-Sfaxee a more favourable account of the
power of En-Noor.
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