We found his Majesty seated on a divan surrounded by his numerous wives
and slaves, to the number of several hundred, for the apartment in
which the king received us was a very large one, more resembling a
courtyard than a room, since the roof was open to the sky. The king
seemed to be a man of middle age, whom I judged to be about forty years
old, but his attendants were all young, some of them scarcely more than
children.
All were attired in the same manner, so that it was difficult to tell
their sex, with short white breeches to above the knee, silken scarves
of various colours wrapped round their waists, the end being thrown
over the left shoulder, and white turbans upon their heads, into which
their long hair was gathered. Some were yellow-skinned, others brown,
others again jet-black. All had been rubbed with oil so that their
skins glistened like polished marble, and they stood about the
courtyard or around the king in silent groups, like so many statues.
Mahomet Achmet prostrated himself when he came into the king's
presence, as is the manner of the East; but I contented myself with
bowing low as I approached the divan upon which his Majesty sat, very
gorgeously dressed in red and blue silk robes embroidered with golden
dragons, which I concluded he had obtained from China.
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