AND LOWER EGYPT, 39 



Two letters of recommendation had been given 

 me at Cairo, the one for the Klaschef of Mmiet, 

 who was called Attas^ and the other for a rich 

 proprietor, a friend of the French merchants, wlio 

 then resided on his own estates. They were both 

 absent. The Kiaschef w^lS making the tour of his 

 district to levy contributions, and the Turk of Cairo 

 was in one of his villages not far from Miniet, I 

 had the letter intrusted to my care conveyed to liim. 

 The next morning he sent me his compliments, 

 with a present of five sheep, and two large pots of 

 butter, which he begged me to accept as a slight 

 indemnification to compensate the hospitality 

 which he lamented he was not on the spot to ex- 

 ercise towards me. 



The second in command at Miniet having heard 

 it said that I was, or that I ought to be a physician, 

 desired me to be called in. He had broken his le<i: 

 three days before. A Copht had set it again, but 

 he had treated his patient in a truly curious man- 

 lier. He was laid on the earth, without either 

 mattrass, mat, or carpet, but on a bed of sand. His 

 thigh and les: were stretched out and fiistened be- 

 tween stakes driven into the earth, which supported 

 likewise a little brick wall erected on each side, so 

 that a piece of mason work contained the fractured 

 limb, till the cure was perfectly completed. h\ 

 order to hasten the knitting of the bone, the sur- 



D 4 geon 



