THESOURCE OF THE NILE. 449 
faying, at the fame time, in very vulgar Arabic, “ Kifhalek 
howaja?”’ (how do you'do, merchant). I never in my life 
was more pleafed with diftant falutations than at this time. 
I anfwered, “ Peace be among you! I ama phyfician, and 
not a merchant.” 
I sHALL not entertain the reader with the multitude of 
their complaints ; being a lady’s phyfician, difcretion and 
filence are my firft duties. It is fufficient to fay, that there 
"was not one part of their whole bodies, infide and outfide, 
in which fome of them had not ailments. The three 
queens infifted upon being blooded, which defire I complied 
with, as it was an operation that required fhort attendance; 
but, upon producing the lancets, their hearts failed them. 
They then all cried out for the Tabange, which, in Arabic, 
means a piftol; but what they meant by this word was, the 
cupping inftrument, which goes off with a {pring like the 
{nap of a piftol. I had two of thefe with me, but not at 
that time in my pocket. I fent my fervant home, however, 
to bring one, and, that fame evening, performed the ope- 
‘ration upon the three queens with great fuccefs. The 
room was overflowed with an effufion of royal blood, and 
the whole ended with their infiting upon my giving them 
the inftrument itfelf, which I was obliged to do, after cup- 
ping two of their flaves before them, who had no com- 
plaints, merely to fhew them how the operation was to be 
performed. , 
ANOTHER night I was obliged to attend them, and gave 
the queens, and two or three of the great ladies, vomits. I 
will {pare my reader the recital of fo naufeous a fcene. 
The ipecacuanha had. great effect, and warm water was 
Vou. IV. gL drunk 
