"عبر بلاد فارس على سرج ركوب جانبي" [‎٨‎١] (٣٦٠/١١٢)

HOUSEKEEPING AT KERMAN 81
best of all, the vegetable pillau, saffron, cinnamon, and
other spices being invariably mixed with the rice and
meat. (The great point with all these dishes was the
perfect boiling of the rice, a peculiarly Persian art.) Kabob-
i-sikh, lamb cutlets cooked in vine leaves, and small lambs,
not much larger than an Knglish hare, roasted whole with
a stuffing of onions and walnuts, all varied our somewhat
limited menu, while, as thirteen pounds of ice were to be
had for a penny, we indulged frequently in ice creams, and
our drinks were kept cool in the hottest weather.
When I had disposed of the food question for the day I
used to ascend the steep steps to the balakhana, and make
a survey of the rooms there. We numbered two ferashes,
or sweepers, among our servants, and yet our apartments
would have been left untouched from one week to another
unless I called for these men every morning and set them
to work. They always informed me with unblushing
effrontery that they had done their sweeping while I was
breakfasting, and I was obliged to resort to the device of
leaving bits of paper and such-like trifles lying about in
order to convict them of mendacity. The floors of the
rooms were made of beaten mud, like the whole house, and
although they were covered with felts, over which striped
cotton floorcloths were spread, yet we were never free
from dust; and a careful attention to the clearing out of
corners was imperative, if we did not wish to be overrun
with tarantulas or scorpions.
I included a survey of the dining-room among my
morning duties, as our two waiters were far too lazy to
clean silver and knives, to refill salt, mustard, and pepper
pots, and to keep cake and biscuits in the proper receptacles
unless looked after sharply. Tablecloths and serviettes