'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎116] (147/582)

116
VISIT TO THE ANTIQUITIES
more than five-and-twenty, with regular features, white teeth
large black eyes, an Indian brown complexion, and silky beard,
seemed particularly to have smitten both of these ladies,—and the
feeling on his part was perfectly reciprocal. His countenance
brightened up with fresh animation, and his eyes flashed fire
during the short interview which I permitted, as we checked the
reins of our horses to listen to their discourse. I was cruel
enough, however, to interrupt this scene, by setting off on a full
gallop, beckoning to Ismael to follow me. When the Dervish
overtook me, as I halted for him to come up, there was a mixture
of surprise and anger in his look, as he asked me why I had so
hastily torn myself away from the fairest occasion of passing a
happy day that had yet offered itself to us since we had been
together ? I endeavoured to explain this, as we continued to ride
along, by saying that as we were to depart from hence to-morrow,
there would be no possibility of my seeing the Caves, if to-day
were wasted in pleasure; and that, as I should probably be near
these antiquities but once in my life, I should often regret in
future my neglect of that occasion to examine them, since they
were among the works of early ages which deeply interested
both myself and my friends.
The Dervish drew up the bridle of my horse, and turned him
self round towards me on his saddle, as if to assure himself that
these were really and truly my reasons, and that it was I and not
another who assigned them. When I repeated that I was in
earnest, he eyed me with a look which, though in some degree
tempered by respect, was yet full of pity and disappointment,
wi perhaps a portion of contempt. « And is it possible," he
exc aimet, t at you can be learned in philosophy, or in any
sZr a f l m 0f wisdom? You have yet to read Hafiz and
vou ' wtf eZn0 , UVee ' and Munt ukketeer,—who would all say to
comna^ fwi ^ 0f ^ PaSt 0r the ll0 P es of the future '
ompared with the more certain and far more important enjoy-