The customs-master was heavily fined, and at any time during the rest of my stay in Shiraz when I sent for my boxes, they were given up at once, and when my servant, _as directed_, asked if it were wished to examine them or not, the customs-master, pale with rage, would reply: “Go, son of a burnt father, no; I have opened his boxes once, I never want to do so again.” All this my man would gleefully narrate on triumphantly bringing home my beer, or whatever had arrived. I had had one other transaction with this customs-master. He had a handsome colt rising three; I had long tried to buy it, but he would never sell, or demanded a preposterous price. At last he sent over one day to me saying, “What will you give me in cash for my grey colt?” I replied, “Ninety-five tomans” (about thirty-eight pounds). This is really a very high price for a horse only rising three. To my astonishment and delight the horse was sent over. I gave a cheque for the money and tied my purchase up. The next day I was left in peace to admire him; the third day came a letter politely written, the pith of which was, “Return me my colt, I have repented.” I looked on the affair as a joke, but no; the man _had not cashed_ my cheque. Had I paid him in specie the bargain would have been concluded; as it was he was in the right, and I reluctantly gave back the horse I had had my eye on for months. It was the law, and by that one must abide. A peculiarity of the Shirazi is his fondness for repeating words, _changing the initial_ of the second. Use is second nature, and a curious instance of the habit is narrated of the late Kawam-u-Dowlet. When in the presence of the Shah, the Kawam-u-Dowlet was asked by his Majesty— “Why is it, Kawam, that you Shirazis always talk of kabob-_mabob_, and so on? you always add a _nonsense word_; is it for euphony?” “Oh, ‘Asylum of the Universe,’ may I be your sacrifice; no respectable person in Shiraz does so, only the lūti-_pūti_ says it.” _Pūti_ is, of course, a nonsense (or meaningless) word, and lūti, as here used, means a “blackguard!” CHAPTER XXII. SHIRAZ AND FUSSA. Cheapness of ice—Variety of ices—Their size—Mode of procuring ice—Water of Shiraz: its impurity—Camel-fight—Mode of obtaining the combatants—Mode of securing camels—Visit to Fussa—Mean-looking nag—His powers—See the patient—State of the sick-room—Dinner sent away—A second one arrives—A would-be room-fellow—I provide him with a bedroom—Progress of the case—Fertility of Fussa—Salt Lake—End of the patient—Boat-building—Dog-cart—Want of roads—Tarantulas—Suicide of scorpions—Varieties—Experiment—Stings of scorpions—The nishan.