Towards evening I saw, to my great delight, a cauldron of mutton set
on the fire. For eight days I had eaten nothing but bread,
cucumber, and some dates; and, therefore, had a great desire for a
hot and more nutritious meal. But my appetite was greatly
diminished when I saw their style of cookery. The old woman (my
guide's mother) threw several handsful of small grain, and a large
quantity of onions, into a pan full of water to soften. In about
half an hour she put her dirty hands into the water, and mixed the
whole together, now and then taking a mouthful, and, after chewing
it, spitting it back again into the pan. She then took a dirty rag,
and strained off the juice, which she poured over the flesh in the
pot.
I had firmly made up my mind not to touch this food; but when it was
ready it gave out such an agreeable odour, and my hunger was so
great, that I broke my resolution, and remembered how many times I
had eaten of food the preparation of which was not a whit cleaner.
What was so bad in the present instance was that I had seen the
whole process.
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