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23 August 1879 — Therapia | |
Saturday. 23rd [August 1879]. I was in bed most of the day with headache. Got up by 5 to go to dine at Zeinab Khanum’s. When we were ready they came to say the steam launch had broken down. We 3 (Alice, B & I) walked off to Petalas to tell Lady Dickson & sent to ask for the Antelope barge. It came for us in 5 minutes & we rowed off with Lady Dickson & did not get there very late. Nazlie was there to receive us & Princess Zeinab was very cordial. We were taken upstairs to take off our bonnets & then I asked if I might send away the boat & if I cd have Halim P’s steam launch to return home. The Princess said she would send to ask the Gd Vizier for his as he lives in the same village. At sunset we sat down to dinner à la Turque. We dined on a round kind of silver tray placed on a small table. We had 4 small tureens placed before us & eat out of them as we felt inclined then followed a very good Turkish dinner of abt 20 dishes. We 4 sat with Nazlie & were afterwards joined by Pss Halim P. at a corresponding table sat Zeinab Khanums & 2 friends. They waited for the gun before they began—it being Ramadan—& they got thro’ their dinner quicker than we did in order to get their smoke. After dinner we sat & talked—& when the hour for prayer came we were taken to see it; we went down a staircase leading to the salaamlik & at the bottom the door was open & a screen put up. There were abt 30 men all at prayers led by a Hadji. The Pss & her maidens were at the top of the stairs in their veils & on their carpets & followed the prayer prostrating themselves & standing up at the right moment. It was wonderful to see how the fat old Princess Zeinab got up & down. Prayers being over the slaves sang & played & 2 of them danced & danced very well. They danced a [illegible word] dance of a lover after his fiancée. At 10 we took leave & the steam launch was ready & brought us home after a very pleasant evening. | |
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