Meer Hassan Ali, B.: Observations on the Mussulmauns of India: descriptive of their manners, customs, habits, and religious opinions ; made during a twelve years residence in their immediate Society (Band 2) (London, 1832)

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unwillingness to be sold to him, she answered
firmly, whilst the starting tear was in her eye,
' My objection to that man is our inequality : I
am of noble birth. My willingness to become
your slave, was to free me from the hands of
those who first premeditated my murder; and
sooner than my liberty should be sold to the
creature I must detest, this dagger,' as she drew
one from her vest, ' shall free me from this
world's vexations.'

" This threat settled the argument, for the
slave-merchant calculated on the loss of three
hundred dinars he had paid to the Bedouin; and
Fatima, aware of this, without actually intend-
ing any violence to herself, felt justified in de-
terring the slave-merchant from further impor-
tunities. Several suitors came to see, with a
view to purchase the beautiful Arab of noble
birth, but having acted so decidedly in the first
instance, the merchant felt himself obliged to
permit her to refuse at will, and she rejected
all who had made their proposal.

" Meer Hadjee Shah, in the fulfilment of his
promise to his wife at parting, to take home