"عبر بلاد فارس على سرج ركوب جانبي" [‎٣‎٣] (٣٦٠/٦٢)

FROM THE CAPITAL TO FA TIM AS SHRINE 33
throughout his second journey in Persia, that he had taken
him home to England, where he had greatly enjoyed a
four months' stay in London, and was a conspicuous
figure in the streets that summer. He spoke English fairly
well, was quite a gentleman in his way, and would have
scorned to do anything mean. He once remarked to me
that if he ' ate the bread' of any one, he felt he must do
his utmost to serve that man, and indeed he carried out his
principles into practice with us, being most loyal to our
interests.
The Indian syce (groom). Fakir Mahomet, came next,
a little man to whom I became quite attached. He was
devoted to his horses, and a jack-of-all-trades, being cook,
saddlemaker, cobbler, carpenter, and tailor as required.
He had also been with my brother before, and had awaited
him during the summer at Tehran. So curiously fond was
he of his Sahib that if the latter were displeased with him
he would be unable to eat or sleep, so he affirmed, until
restored to favour.
The rest of our servants were Persians, chief of whom
was Hashim, the good-looking young pishkidmet^ or waiter.
He took a great interest in us and our belongings, and was
ever anxious to join in our conversation, as he had picked up
a little French and less English at Tehran. The cook, Seyid
Abu, a descendant of the Prophet, who wore a green waist
coat to signify his illustrious ancestry, was clever, dishonest,
and thoroughly unscrupulous as to his method of ' doing'
us by hook or by crook. On the march he was entrusted
with the buying of supplies ; but as he always made out
his bills with an average of fifty eggs a day, and meat and
fowls in proportion, his office was transferred to Sultan
Sukru shortly after we reached Kerman, by which time I
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