Chapter II
THE HIDDEN TREASURE
The Coolies of Baghdad
THE HANDSOMEST PEOPLE IN BAGHDAD ARE THE LURS OF
Pusht-i-Kuh. They stride about among the sallow-faced
city Shi'as in sturdy nakedness, a sash round the waist keeping
their rags together, a thick felt padded affair on their backs to
carry loads, and their native felt cap surrounded by a wisp of
turban. They crouch in groups against a sunny wall in winter,
or sleep in the shade on the pavement, careless of the traffic
around them, and speaking their own language among them-
selves: and you will think them the veriest beggars, until some
day you happen to see them shaved and washed and in their
holiday clothes, and hear that they belong to this tribe or that
tribe in the mountainous region that touches Iraq's eastern
border, and find that they are as proud, and have as much
influence in their own lonely districts as any member of a
county family in his.
They own three hostels, or " manzils " in Baghdad, and
they all come from the country which lies between the
Khanikin-Kermenshah road in the north and Dizful in the
south; they are nearly all coolies, and will carry incredible
weights, packing-cases, or iron girders, walking barefoot
and bent among the crowd.
Seven years ago these people were more or less independent
under their Vali, and lived in a happy chaos unsafe for the
casual traveller. The Vali had trouble and fled. Some of his
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