^22 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



being pernicious to them. For this reason, the 

 si( k, in order to avoid the danger of breathing 

 this fume in a country vyhere mastich is frequently 

 burnt, are careful to hold an onion constantly 

 under their nose, the odour of which, if it be 

 more wholesome than that of mastich, is undoubt- 

 edly much less agreeable. All the mastich which 

 is consumed in Egypt is brought from the island 

 of Sc'io, in the Archipelago. The women con- 

 stantly eat small pieces of it melted with wax, 

 they mingle it in ragouts, and they perfume with 

 it those vessels which are set apart to cool water 

 in, as well as almost every household utensil. 



The Ramadan or fast of the Mussulmans be- 

 gan this year on the 2 id September. In the 

 evening 1 saw the ceremony of its opening at 

 Rossetta : all the tradesmen assemble together in 

 companies, and march in procession through the 

 city, lighted from iron pots carried upon the point 

 of long sticks, in which chips of resinous wood 

 are kindled. The chief of each of these corpora- 

 tions of mechanics, mounted upon a beautiful 

 horse, is decked in an extraordinary garb: se- 

 veral of them also wear vizors. The people 

 greatly applauded this masquerade, but expres- 

 sions of joy and approbation were particularly 

 audible when the chief nightman appeared dis- 

 guised as an European. This fact may convey a 

 3 proper 



