WRITTEN CHARMS. 
147 
proves good I will provide thee with sangleh for two days/' 
She paused a moment to hear my answer ; she then added, 
that she had induced the Moorish priests to write several for 
her and had paid them well in dragtnes, but that they had pro- 
duced no effect ; she hoped that mine would turn out better. 
The situation in which I now stood did not permit me to 
reject this proposition : I only insisted upon the clause that 
she should not put butter into the sangleh. Without loss of 
time she fetched ink and a straw to use as a pen. She first 
told me the name of the desired lover^ and the names of 
his parents, and recommended to me particularly to keep the 
secret : as she had no paper I furnished her with a little 
bit, and wrote in her presence the charm she wished for. 
To give it the more importance, 1 ordered it to be tied round 
the neck of the young girl, which was immediately done, and 
finally, to inspire a high idea of my skill in magic, I traced 
upon a little board another talisman, directing that the 
writing should be washed, and that her niece should drink of 
the water which had been used for this purpose. This for- 
mality having been punctually fulfilled, the girl came to ask 
me what time would elapse before the charm would operate. 
As I knew that I should not be many days in the country, I 
told her that it would probably not be twenty before she was 
married. Her aunt Ayesha (this was the old woman's 
name) kept her word ; she brought me on the morrow, in a 
very dirty calabash, some sangleh made of barley-meal and 
without seasoning. The daughters of Aly, having become 
more civil since I had shewn my talent for bestowing hus- 
bands^ ceased to molest me ; they came and offered me some 
fresh camel's milk, and this was the first time that I had 
drunk any in the dwelling of my host. 
Meanwhile the good old aunt who had so strongly recom- 
mended secresy to me, gave her friends information of the 
happy talent which 1 possessed, and I soon had to write for 
the neighbouring camps. All the women of the environs 
L 2 
