'Through Persia on a side-saddle' [‎68] (99/360)

68 THROUGH PERSIA ON A SIDE-SADDLE
men who bring them, and are, moreover, expected to hand
over the lion's share to their voracious servants.
We were just sitting down to lunch when cheery old
Mahomet Khan and a youthful relative of his came in.
I was sorry that they must again fast while we were eating,
but they took great interest in our illustrated papers,
and turned to Hashim for explanations, who gave them
volubly, while Shah Sowar In the East India Company army and later Indian Army, an ordinary native cavalryman or mounted cavalryman. (our second waiter) more
honestly confessed his inability to comprehend what the
Feringhee pictures were about Hashim much enjoyed
that meal, as for once in a way he understood the con
versation, joining frequently in it, to help it along. He
must often have been dull when waiting upon us, owing
to his lack of comprehension of our language, for which
we were truly thankful; but his ears were ever on the
alert, as if by any chance he heard an English word
resembling some Persian one he would immediately rush
into speech, and expatiate at cross-purposes on what he
imagined we were talking about.
I was considerably pestered here by the women, who
swarmed into the flooded garden to survey me. They
were covered with white or blue sheets, and unveiling their
faces, which were wreathed in smiles, they said they really
must look at me, for such a sight as a European lady had
never before delighted their eyes, and I had not the heart
to drive them away.
The road out of Bahramabad was by a labyrinth of tiny
paths, along the side of streams. We passed house after
house gutted by the floods; and our horses had to pick
their way gingerly for fear of the numerous mud-holes.
The inhabitants followed us in crowds, and every here
and there we came upon fresh detachments, looking as