AND LOWER EGYPT. 99 



•* you." I had then no choice left but to take up 

 my abode with Mallim Mourcons ; this was the 

 name of my patient. 



His complaint appeared to me to be very se- 

 rious ; it was an exceedingly violent erysipelas, a 

 kind of St. Anthony's fire, which covered entirely 

 one side of his breast. This part of the trunk ap- 

 peared as if it were burnt ; and the patient felt the 

 same pain from it as if fire had been applied to it 

 perpetually. He could not suffer any clothing or 

 the slightest covering of linen to approach it; and 

 if his shirt, although very fine, happened to touch 

 the parts affected, he uttered loud outcries. This 

 very acute distemper had already tormented him 

 for some time. The Italian missionaries o( Echmiinm 

 had been called in as physicians : they had bled 

 him, bled him a second time, and still continued 

 to bleed him. The disorder had not abated, and 

 they had given up the case as lost. I was, I will 

 not say more skilful, but more fortunate, and at 

 the end often days Malliim Mourcous was perfectly 

 cured. 



He did not know how to express his joy and 

 gratitude. The most delicate attentions were la- 

 vished on me all the time that I remained with him. 

 The day before my departure, he sent to me by 

 another Copht some rouleaus of chequins. I called 



H 2 to 



