72, TRAVELS IN UPPER 



During my residence at Sioict^ a circumstance 

 happened, which was looked upon as very extraor- 

 dinary. This was the descent of rain ; so uncom- 

 mon in the southern parts of Egypt, that it may 

 be said, without the fear of heing in an error, that 

 it never rains there. However, on the 15th of 

 April 1778, with a violent south wind, the sky was 

 clouded during the whole day, and from time to. 

 time a little rain fell ; but at night a storm arose, 

 with a torrent of rain, accompanied with lightnings 

 and some claps of thunder. 



T)aoud Kiaschef, commandant of Siout, who had 

 an inclination to put my talents in physic to the 

 test, of which he had conceived a high opinion, 

 imagined that I must also be a dealer in magic, and 

 that the most hidden treasures, not being able to 

 i:esist the power of my art, left their most secret 

 abodes to spring into my pocket. The Mameluc 

 was very desirous of sharing, at least, the immense 

 profits which such a valuable science must of 

 necessity procure for me. A mosque in the city 

 passed in the minds of the inhabitants as 4he 

 depository of riches concealed from every eye ; he 

 summoned me secretly, and made me promise to 

 go to This temple, in order to discover, by my 

 sorceries, the place where the gold was to be 

 found, which we were to share together. Every 

 thing which I could say to undeceive him was in 



vain ; 



