1792- a cure for the gsut. ixi 



stick, and two of them gave him four or iive hundred 

 strokes with a small rod on the soles of his feet, which 

 made them swell to an amazing size. Another Turk after- 

 wards scarified them with much addr-efs, and made all the 

 curdled blood run out, and poured upon them a remark- 

 ably odoriferous balm: After which they carried him to a 

 balcony, where there was a bed composed of good matraf- 

 ses, with rich coverings. The physician, with three or 

 four slaves, watched him continually, and served him with 

 infinite attention. They drefsed his feet twice a-day 5 they 

 gave him the best food. But, without entering into conver- 

 sation with him, they only bade him have good cou- 

 rage, and alk whatevet he wanted. 



The knight did not know what to think of such odd 

 treatment ; he waited for the explanation of it with impa- 

 tience. When, at the end of six or or seven days, his wounds 

 yrere quite cured, and he felt himself able to rise and 

 -walk, they gave him a very rich Turkilh drefs, and his 

 patron came to see him. He demanded first to know who 

 he was, and then afkcd if he knew him : The knight could 

 not recollect his old^lave, — years had changed him ; a long 

 beard (haded part of his face, and the flourifhing condition 

 in which he saw him, rendered it impofsible to know him 

 again. 



What ! said the Turkifh captain, is it pofsible that you 

 have forgot your slave Ibrahim ? it is I whom you 

 treated with so much generosity j— know that a benefit is 

 never lost among mufsulmans. I had pity upon you when 

 you suffered the tortures of the gout, and I told you that 

 if you were in my country I would have you cured so as 

 never to be more troubled with it : I have been as good 

 as my word j— you are cured, — you have suifered, — but 

 you fliall suflFer no longer j — the gout ihallr never distrefe 

 you more. The knight thanked him for the good treat- 

 ment which he had received, after a modest complaint ef 



