Read an Excerpt
A Russian's Opinion Of The Pilgrim. 43 head elosely shaven, a bull-neek, limbs sturdy as a Saxon's, a thin red beard, and handsome features beaming with benevolenee. A eurious dry humour he had, delighting in " quizzing," but in so quiet, solemn, and quaint a way that before you knew him you eould seareely divine his drift. "Thank Allah, we earry n doetor I" said my friend more than onee, with apparent fervour of gratitude, after he had diseovered my profession. I was fairly taken by the pious ejaeulation, and some days elapsed before the drift of his remark beeame apparent. " You dttetorfl," he explained when we were more inti- male, " what do you do? a man goes to you for ophthalmia. It is a purge, a blister, and a drop on the eye! Is it for fever ? well! a purge and Kinakina (quinine). For dysentery ? a purge and extraet of opinm. Wallah ! I am as good a physieian as the best of you," he would add with a broad grin, " if I only knew the Dirhainbirhams , and a few break-jaw Arabie names of diseases." Ilaji WaI if therefore emphatieally advised me to make bread by honestly teaehing languages. "We are doelor- riddon," said ho, and I found it was the ease. When we lived under the same roof, the Ilaji and I beeame fast friends. During the day we ealled on eaeh other frequently, we dined together, and passed the evening in a Mosque, or pome other plaee of publie pastime. Coyly at ftrst, but less guardedly as we grew bolder, we smoked the forbidden weed " .Hashish J," eonversinglengthily the while about that world of which I had seen so much. Originally from llussia, he also had been a traveller, and in his wanderings had cast off most of the prejudiees of his pcople. " I believe inAllah and his Prophet, and in nothing else," was his sturdy creed; he rejeeted alehemy, ...
