24 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



I gave the fervant two bottles of cinnamon- water, which he 

 refufed till I had firfl tailed them ; but they were not agree- 

 able to the Naybe, fo they were returned. 



All this time I very much wondered what was become of 

 Achmet, who, with Mahomet Gibberti, remained at Arkeeko: 

 at laft I heard from the Naybe's fervant that he was in bed, 

 ill of a fever. Mahomet Gibberti had kept his promife to 

 me ; and, laying nothing of my fkill in phyfic, or having 

 medicines with me, I fent, however, to the Naybe to defire 

 leave to go to Arkeeko. He anfwered me furlily, 1 might 

 go if I could find a boat'; and, indeed, he had taken his raea- 

 fures fo well that not a boat would ftir for money or per- 

 fuafion. 



On the 29th of October the Naybe came again from Ar- 

 keeko to Mafuah, and, I was told, in very ill-humour with 

 me. I foon received a meffage to attend him, and found him 

 in a large wafte room like a barn, with about fixty people 

 with him. This was his divan, or grand council, with alLhis 

 janizaries and officers of Hate, all naked, affembled in par- 

 liament. There was a comet that had appeared a few 

 days after our arrival at Mafuah, which had been many 

 days vifible in Arabia Felix, being then in its perihelion ; 

 and, after palling its conjunction with the fun, it now ap- 

 peared at Mafuah early in the evening, receding to its aphe- 

 lion. I had been obferved watching it with great attention ; 

 and the large tubes of the telefcopes had given offence to 

 ignorant people. 



The firfl: queftion the Naybe alked me was, What that 

 comet meant, and why it appeared? And before I could an- 



4 fwer 



