us, he, with great gravity, informed us that his father was a caporale, or, in plain English, a corporal! On the 12th of July, the army all being in readiness, amounts ing to about S00 horse and 800 foot, with nearly 2000 camels, set out for Gutrone, from whence they were to make their final departure. Mukni accompanied them; and the town was left in a state of quiet we had never before observed. The charge of the castle was committed to old Hadge Mahmoud, who locked the females-,up . every evening at sunset. Mukni, who was not considered to be a very religious person, was much blamed for setting out during the fast of Bhamadan; and some, who knew we should not betray their opinions, said, that his only reason for choosing such a time was, that he might have an excuse for eating, which is allowed by the Eoran to travellers and sick personsprovided they make amends when they are able, by lasting in some other month. : Many people came to us to beg for medicines; and Mr. Bitchie being unable to attend to their wants, I became their physician, having a medical hook constantly at hand to refer to in difficult cases. My medicines sometimes succeeded, and I must say, that where I could not afford relief, I never attempted any experiments which could injure my patients. I shall here state the most prevalent disorders, with the .method of cure employed by the inhabitants : Diseases. Method o f Cure. Liver complaint, frequently -fatal . . . . Burning with a hot iron. ¡Enlargement of the spleen, ditto . . . . Ditto. Asthma, d i t to .......................................... Ditto. Consumption, d i t to .................................Ditto. /-Burningthe temples, and putting B lin d n e s s ............................................. ... < pieces of onion between the C eyelids. Diseases. Method o f Cure. Rupture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Burning. Fever and ague, called Hemma.. , . . . Charms drank in water. i Purges of colocynth, and washes Venereal................................................... I of soda. Effectual. S tr ic tu re s ................................................ Burning. Ghonorriuea............................................. Purges and burning Palsy ................................ ... Charms. I saw one instance of elephantiasis. The man afflicted with it was a native of Morzouk. His right leg was very much swoln, and he said it had been in that state for more than a year, and was still increasing in size. He said it gave him no pain, but much incommoded him in working. His complexion appeared sallow and shrivelled ; but his leg was red, and the skin shining. I was now considered as a doctor, and my character, in consequence, became established; although my knowledge was certainly confined within a very narrow compass, and extended no farther than bleeding, blistering, and preparing a simple dose of physic. On the 22nd of July Mukni returned, having seen his son. safe on his way. Bhamadan’s sun was now s e t; and on the 23rd instant, early in the morning, the moon was visible. I t would be impossible to describe the joy which this sight occasioned, after thirty days’ fasting. Every body was in motion, screaming, dancing, filing guns, eating and drinking. Mr. Bitchie was now beginning to recover, and was able to sit up a little, after having been confined fifty-eight days to his bed. At noon, having ornamented myself and my poor lean horse as well as I could, I joined the procession which was to ride round the. town. The Sultan and his two youngest sons, covered with rich clothes, rode first, with flags, led horses, and music. All the people, who remained behind from the army, were dressed in their finest habits; and we thus proceeded to a small building near the tombs r 2
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