The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-12-30
AN EFFICIENT DRAGOMAN.

A correspondent Of the National lnteili-
aencer, who is travelling ini the East,
sends some very readable letters to that
paper. He gives the following amusing
account of the manner in which the drago-
mans Of the party procured them nights
lodging in the "MiIl Of Mahala:''
"a very animated conversation now
took place between our dragoman and the
Arabs. The chief ta!ker, a rugged, ill.,
/ favored man, whose dark leathern skin
looked darker still from the fact that his
beard and eve brows were covered with
meal, was 10 other than the miller himself.
and the others were Bedoins, who had
come over from an enca mpment on the op-
Iposite side of the stream. As well as
could catch The drift Of conversation from
Ynset's manner and gestures which had
now learned to interpret with considerable
accuracy, it appeared to be this: that we,
4 travelling party, consisting of the 'Com-
mander.in- Chief Of all the military forces
lin America, royal Prince, son of the
King OF the United States, and an English
Lord, whose palace at home WAS built Of
pure gold, wanted lodgings for the night in
The f3r-famed Mill Of Mahals, Of which we
have read in ancient and modern history,
and whose proprietor we had always re-
garded as the Sublimest'Miller the world
produced. On the other hand, il was urg-
ed by the miller tha. he was devout
MusseIman. and would never consent to
have his mill defiIed by the presence of
party Of nii1els who were at best not fit TO
kiss the smallest toe Of the great Prophet;
that should he suffer us to sleep there, he
would never more have particle Of luck,
and ten to one the hoppers would fly in his
face and kill him stone dead, or the mill it.
self would tumble down upon him after we
| left, and make minced meat Of himself and
all his family. To which. as took il, Yu-
sef replied, thst praised be Allah, we were
convinced of the errors Of our ways, and
were on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, where
there was 20 earthly doubt that we would
join the standard of the Prophet iu less
than month; and that, besides, being roy
al personages Of boundess wealth We
would cheerfully pay as high as three pi-
asters each, {twelye and half cents) for
| the accommodations of his establishment,
together with liberal bdckshish in the
morning.
In reply to which the miller, with spark
| ling eyes, stated that he was not that mar
row minded sort of a person who could
from any religious prejudiees be so inhos.
pitabie as to turn from bis door party of
distinguished Howadji; that he always re-
garded the Americans and English as the
mos, liberal and enlightened people in the
world, next to the Arabs, and upon the as.
.urance of five piasters each, with such
backshish as he deemed consistent with our
rank and dignity, he would cheerfulIy con-
sent 70 have his mill honored with our pres
ence. Keeping in view his own interests,
Ynsef made answer to this by saving that
he, being our responsible agen, ia al. Pc
lcunisry matters, deemed il incumbent up.
on him as msn OF honor, known through
out Syria ard even 10 the remotest corner
| ot England and America, as a drsgoman
who never lied or took advantage Of the
lllberality Of bis employers, to pay just and
reasonable prices for everything, and that
ne could reconcile il 10 sense of duty to
Ipay no more than four piasters; but that he
had not the slightest doubt that the back
shish would amount to treble that sum.
At this the miller shook his head dismally,
lgrunted few words of doubts which in.
Iterpreted to signify that he had become
lrather accustomed to promises Of this kind;
then pofling his chiyoak awhile, he ended
BY waving his hand for us to enter. By
this time il had begun to rain, and we were
| glad enough TO find shel,er.'