SILVER-WORKING. 263 about an acre. This description may seem rather wanting ; but people who have seen it will, I have no doubt, recognise the place from it.

It was a sad disappointment not finding anything at all worth buying. Nearly everything came from Europe, the only native articles being those of consumption, and | a few pieces of jewellery, generally rather ugly than otherwise. The silversmiths worked in a very primitive manner ; in the first place, if you wanted them to make you something, say a bracelet, or a cigarettecase, you had to provide the metal to make it with, in the shape of " rials " or dollars. The operator threw the dollars into a crucible on a tiny fire, which a naked youth was pumping air into with a tiny pair of bellows, and that was all you could see that day. If you came back the following day, the chances were you would just miss the ten minutes the smith chose to work upon your article ; it was no earthly use hurrying him he didn't understand it. If his ten minutes at it were over for the day, he would bring out the unfinished thing from his box and show it to you smiling ; no threats