voices in your court." She was right; for at the same moment we saw the flag hoisted, and as I hastened away she said, "This is your reward; God has brought happiness to you, even as you have to-day spoken pleasant words to the mother of fatherless children."
In another minute I was with my brother. He was accompanied by a Turkish gentleman, who had traveled with him from Beirût, and who had just received the appointment of Governor of Hâifa. His son, a nice boy of about ten years of age, was with him. They dined with us, and the little Turk found it rather difficult to manage a knife and fork. The father asked me if I would undertake to civilize him. They were complete strangers in the town, so they remained at our house for two or three days.
On the 25th, Zachariah Agha, the ex-Governor, called to take leave of me, and then the new Governor established himself at the castle. He told me he did not think that he should send for his wives, as he could not tell how long he should be allowed to remain in office at Hâifa.
Some wealthy Moslems have a home, and a wife or two, in each of the villages or towns where their public or private business obliges them to reside for any length of time during the year.
A few days after my brother's return I observed that nearly all the shops of Hâifa were closed, and the streets and market-places were almost deserted. On inquiry I learned that "the day of ill luck" had arrived, a day on which Moslems will not, on any account, make bargains or transact business. This dreaded day is the first Wednesday in the month of Safar, the second month of the Mohammedan year. (In 1856, the year of which I am writing, it fell on October 29th.) The Moslems will not, if they can possibly avoid it, even speak or think on any subject of importance, and they generally remain in-doors on this ill omened day.
Mohammed Bek came to the Consulate at midday, asking me to be his guardian, and to allow him to remain in
