A FAVOURITE PRACTICE. AMONG ARABS. 287 



their cost that the new weapon they are gradually be- 

 coming familiar with is more liable to lead them into 

 danger than the one by which their ancestors made 

 themselves so celebrated as hunters. Sheik Aghill 

 is not yet turned out of office, and that we may be 

 kept aware of the fact he has sent us a present of 

 some onions. 



April 15. Albert has to pay the penalty of his 

 folly in ignoring the sun, and is now very ill, suffering 

 intensely in his head, and in a state to cause some 

 anxiety for the future. Even our dark-skinned friends 

 begin to find the heat tell upon them, and at their 

 special request I went through the performance to-day 

 of bleeding Mohamed the cook from the arm, and of 

 cupping Essafi. 



These Arabs bear innumerable marks over their 

 bodies where incisions have been made to draw blood, 

 as it is a very favourite practice amongst them. Both 

 Ranfurly and myself find it a difficult matter to shake 

 off our weakness, and feel in the sun a common 

 enemy. The moon is also a source of great annoy- 

 ance to us, for, being in the second quarter, the light is 

 so strong that sleep is rendered almost an impossi- 

 bility without first paying a visit to the medicine-chest, 

 for that most invaluable of medicines to us, * chloral.' 

 I have a great advantage over Ranfurly in being able 

 to eat my food, whilst he cares for nothing beyond soup 



