'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎240] (305/905)

240
FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENTS. [CHAP. XI.
Dresses and^ mantle, form the usual costume of the superior class of women,
the women.
with the addition, however, of pearls, rings, and armlets.
Their hair, which is adorned with pearls, and gold or silver
coins, falls in thick tresses behind, in a manner far more be
coming than that of the Turkish dames. Within doors, their
attire (as I observed from the terraces during my visits to
Shuster and Dizful in 1831) is both slight and simple. The
head was enveloped in a large kerchief, generally black; and
a kind of white bedgown, with a pair of loose trowsers and
high-heeled slippers, completed the dress. Out of doors, the
Persian female strictly follows the ancient style of dress.
Those of the middle class wear wide trowsers, pressed into
ample yellow boots, with an upper garment either of white or
dark cotton. This is very loose, and is covered with a checked
cloth of such ample dimensions, that it envelopes the whole
person, with the exception of a small portion of the face,
which may be seen through a kind of gauze mask.
The rnW-cky Their cookery is superior to, although it resembles, that of
the Turks. The mid-day meal is chiefly of vegetables, the
more substantial one being soon after sun-set, when those who
can aftord it display a variety of tempting viands, served either
in a well-lighted room, or (during warm weather) on a ter
race, amidst shaded candles and ornamented lamps. Tepid
water and soap having been handed to the guests, who are
seated round a leather cloth, with cakes of bread before each,
the dishes are brought in, either on low wooden tables, or on
a number of metal trays, one of which is usually allotted to
three or four individuals. Lighter matters, such as cakes,
curds, dried sweetmeats, with lemonade, and different beverages'
prepared with milk, are consumed before the more substantial
viands are introduced: these are ragouts, and meats stewed
in rich sauces, or roasted on little skewers ; together with pil-
laus, s P lce(i or plain, and piles of rice, or of rice and peas heaped
over the meat. With the exception of the light pear-tree
rinkmg spoons for the iced sherbets and various preparations
of milk the food is taken up with the fingers, and dispatched
so speedily, that but a momentary interval seems to pass, from
ie brief bismillah of the host, until the fragments on the