DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15173#0183
Chap. vi. MAIIOMMEDAN CUSTOMS.
165
this man-selling Uzbek, and we passed a comfort-
able night in a very nicely carpeted " mihman
khana," or public-house of guests, which is situated
at the verge of the village ; the chief himself send-
ing us a leg of venison, as we were known to his
friends in Cabool. We were already in a different
country; the mosques were spread with felts, which
indicated greater attention to matters of religion,
and they were also much better buildings. We
were instructed not to sleep with our feet towards
Mecca ; which would be evincing our contempt for
that holy place; and 1 ever after observed the
bearings of the compass in-doors, as attentively as I
had hitherto done outside. I also cut the central
portion of the hair of my mustachios ; since the
neglect of such a custom would point me out as a
Shiah, and consequently an infidel. We made all
these arrangements in Syghan; which is a pretty
place, with fine gardens, though situated in a dreary
valley, destitute of all vegetation beyond its imme-
diate precincts. When we left it next morning, a
man came about five hundred yards from the village
to give us the " fat ha" or blessing, as is usual in this
country; and we departed, and stroked down our
beards with gravity at the honour.
Seeing this rigid adherence to the laws of Ma-
hommed, and the constant recurrence to the prac-
tice of the Koran in every act of life, I was not
disposed to augur favourably for our comfort, or the
reliance which we could place upon the people with
whom we were now to mingle. I thought of the
expeditions of Prince Beckevitch, and our own un-
M 3
165
this man-selling Uzbek, and we passed a comfort-
able night in a very nicely carpeted " mihman
khana," or public-house of guests, which is situated
at the verge of the village ; the chief himself send-
ing us a leg of venison, as we were known to his
friends in Cabool. We were already in a different
country; the mosques were spread with felts, which
indicated greater attention to matters of religion,
and they were also much better buildings. We
were instructed not to sleep with our feet towards
Mecca ; which would be evincing our contempt for
that holy place; and 1 ever after observed the
bearings of the compass in-doors, as attentively as I
had hitherto done outside. I also cut the central
portion of the hair of my mustachios ; since the
neglect of such a custom would point me out as a
Shiah, and consequently an infidel. We made all
these arrangements in Syghan; which is a pretty
place, with fine gardens, though situated in a dreary
valley, destitute of all vegetation beyond its imme-
diate precincts. When we left it next morning, a
man came about five hundred yards from the village
to give us the " fat ha" or blessing, as is usual in this
country; and we departed, and stroked down our
beards with gravity at the honour.
Seeing this rigid adherence to the laws of Ma-
hommed, and the constant recurrence to the prac-
tice of the Koran in every act of life, I was not
disposed to augur favourably for our comfort, or the
reliance which we could place upon the people with
whom we were now to mingle. I thought of the
expeditions of Prince Beckevitch, and our own un-
M 3