And there was the gold and silver bazar, where the smiths sat
round in little pens, hammering at their anvils. Here one could pick up
some most beautiful barbarous and antique ornaments, filigree coffee-cup
holders, raki cups of silver inlaid with gold, and many other beautiful
things too numerous to mention. There was another bazar where they sold
attar and sandle-wood oil; and yet another where one could buy rich
Eastern stuffs and silks, the most beautiful things, which would make a
fine smoking suit for one's husband, or a _sortie de bal_ for oneself.
Here also you can buy izars to walk about the bazars _incognita_. They
are mostly brilliantly hued and beautifully worked in gold. There was
also the divan, where one bought beautiful stuffs, gaudy Persian rugs,
and prayer-carpets for furnishing the house. There was the bazar where
one bought henna, wherewith to stain the hands, the feet, and the finger-
nails. And last, but by no means least, there was the pipe or narghileh
bazar, which contained the most beautiful pipe-sticks I ever saw, and the
most lovely narghilehs, which were made in exquisite shapes and of great
length in the tube. The longer the _narbish_, or tube, the higher your
rank, and the greater compliment you pay to your guest. I used to order
mine to be all of dark chocolate and gold, and to measure from four to
six yards in length, and I never had less than twelve narghilehs in the
house at once, one of which I kept for my own particular smoking, and a
silver mouthpiece which I kept in my pocket for use when visiting.
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25