’They had scarcely raised the savoury food to their opening mouths, when a voice of melancholy bewailing arrested their attention, and stayed the hands already charged with food;—­a poor wretched creature, who had not tasted food for two whole days, moaned his piteous tale in accents that drew tears from the Woodcutter and his wife—­their eyes met and the sympathy was mutual; they were more willing to depart for heaven without the promised benefit of one earthly enjoyment, than suffer the hungry creature to die from want of that meal they had before them.  The dish was promptly tendered to the bewailing subject, and the Woodcutter and his wife consoled each other by thinking that, as their time of departure was now so near at hand, the temporary enjoyment of a meal was not worth one moment’s consideration.  “To-morrow we die, then of what consequence to us whether we depart with full or empty stomachs!” And now their thoughts were set on the place of eternal rest.  They slept, and arose to their morning orisons with hearts resting humbly on their God, in the fullest expectation that this was their last day on earth:  the prayer was concluded, and the Woodcutter in the act of rolling up his carpet, on which he had bowed with gratitude, reverence, and love to his Creator, when he perceived a fresh heap of silver on the floor;—­he could scarcely believe it was not a dream.  “How wonderful art Thou, O God!” cried the poor Woodcutter; “this is Thy bounteous gift that I may indeed enjoy one day before I quit this earth.”  And when Moosa came to him, he (Moosa) was satisfied with the goodness and power of God; but he retired again to the Mount to inquire of God the cause of the Woodcutter’s respite.  The reply given to Moosa was, “That man has faithfully applied the wealth given in answer to his petition.  He is worthy to live out his numbered years on earth, who, receiving My bounty, thought not of his own enjoyments whilst his fellow men had wants he could supply.”  And to the end of the Woodcutter’s long life, God’s bounty lessened not in substance; neither did the pious man relax in his charitable duties of sharing with the indigent all that he had, and with the same disregard to his own enjoyments.’

I have but little to add, as regards the manner of worship amongst my Mussulmaun acquaintance; but here I cannot omit remarking, that the women are devout in their prayers and strict in their observance of ordinances.  That they are not more generally educated is much to be regretted; this, however, is their misfortune, not their fault.  The Mussulmaun faith does not exclude the females from a participation in the Eternal world,[21]—­as has so often been assorted by people who could not have known them,—­and the good Mussulmaun proves it by his instruction of the females under his control in the doctrines of Mahumud, and who he believes to be as much dependent on him for guidance on the road to heaven, as for personal protection from want or worldly dangers.