l86 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



precaution made him look still more bideons, and 

 the fiery colour of the henna on a wrinkled and 

 faded visage, produced a very disagreeable effect. 

 Yet although his physical appearance was vile and 

 unpleasant, his head was clear, and his mind dis- 

 played much vivacity. A concourse of Arabians 

 and of the inhabitants encircled him ; he listened 

 to them with attention whilst he was dictating to 

 his secretaries ; he issued his orders, and gave his 

 decisions, with surprising distinctness and regard 

 to justice. I remained some time before the open 

 tent of the prince, and, when he had finished the 

 most important affairs, asked, in a tone of voice 

 sufficiently dry, who I was. I approached him, 

 and delivered the letter of Mourat Bey. As soon 

 as he had read it, he extolled the attention of his 

 friend, who had sent him a physician of extraor- 

 dinary skilly who was at last to cure him of all his 

 diseases, and they were not few : but that which 

 seemed to affect him the most, and which he soon 

 imparted to me ; that which, itself alone, would 

 have discouraged the most skilful doctor, and of 

 which Iswa'in^ nevertheless, flattered himself I 

 should be able to cure him, was his state of weak- 

 ness and incapacity for enjoyments which he could 

 not resolve to renounce. This task was set be- 

 fore me as of the first importance to accomplish ; 

 the rest would follow in their course. I was to 

 enter upon my oflice by rcne\ving the youth of 



this 



