INTRODUCTION. xvii 



always had (hewed me, and fome other common methods 

 •with the members of the regency, ftaved off the dangerous 

 moment, and were the means of procuring time. Admi- 

 ralty partes at lad came out, and the matter was happily ad- 

 juiled ; but it was an affair the lean pleafing and the leafl 

 profitable, and one of the moll dangerous in which I was 

 ever engaged. 



All this difagreeable interval I had given to fludy, and 

 making myfelf familiar with every thing that could be ne- 

 cellary to me in my intended journey. The king's furgeon 

 at Algiers, Mr Ball, a man of confiderable merit in his pro- 

 feffion, and who lived in my family, had obtained leave to 

 return home. Before I was deprived of this affiftance, I 

 had made a point of drawing from it all the advantages pof- 

 fible for my future travels. Mr Ball did not grudge his 

 time or pains in the inftruction he gave me. I had made 

 myfelf mauer of the art of bleeding, which I found confid- 

 ed only in a little attention, and in overcoming that diffi- 

 dence which the ignorance how the parts lie occafions. Mr 

 Ball had fliewn me the manner of applying feveral forts of 

 bandages, and gave me an idea of drefling fome kinds of 

 fores and wounds, frequent and very ufeful leflbns, which 

 I alfo received from my friend Doctor RuiTel at Aleppo, 

 contributed greatly to improve me afterwards in the know- 

 ledge of phyfic and furgery. I had afmall cheft of the mofl 

 efficacious medicines, a difpenfary to teach me to com- 

 pound others that were needful, and fome fhort treatifes up- 

 on the acute difeafes of feveral countries within the tro- 

 pics. Thus inftructed, I flatter myfelf, no offence I hope, 

 I did not occafion a greater mortality among the Maho- 

 metans and Pagans abroad, than may be attributed to 

 Vol. I. c fome 



