FAST OF THE RAMADAN. 
125 
day. Before light I was roused to drink, for it is not lawful 
to take any thing while the sun is above the horizon. 
The truly devout Moors observe a most rigorous fast ; 
they make only one meal in the middle of the night, and 
not only take no food in the day-time, but neither drink nor 
smoke. As the Ramadan often happens in hot weather, and 
the fast is more painful on account of the dreadful thirst 
which is experienced, the less zealous take the opportunity of 
travelling just at this time, because they are excused from 
observing the fast when they are on a journey. It was for 
this reason that there were so few men in the camp, when 
the oxen were carried off ; they had all set out on their 
travels a few days before. This emigration does not exempt 
them from fasting altogether, but it affords them the advan- 
tage of chusing their own season ; they always fast in pre- 
ference in cold weather, because they are not then liable to 
suffer so much from thirst, 
The first day I bore the fast pretty well, but I suffered 
severely from thirst, and sighed for the setting of the sun ; it 
was only a quarter of an hour after sun- set that the che?ii 
was brought, and this quarter of an hour appeared as long as 
a day. Impatience increased my thirst to such a degree, that 
I could not restrain myself, and drank more than was 
prudent. My body was covered with a violent perspiration ; 
my legs failed 3 I fell motionless upon the mat, where I 
remained for half an hour, but without losing sensation. At 
last my strength returned by degrees, and I was able to get 
up to go to prayer. 
At eleven o^clock at night, some sangleh was brought 
for supper; I remarked that a greater quantity had been 
made than usual, but I ate very little, for thirst had taken 
away my appetite and I felt feverish. The women had all 
intended to fast, but at noon they were obliged to drink, and 
their fast was broken. For my part, I persevered for the 
next few days, and my sufferings increased, as my strength 
