236 
TRAVELS IN BARBARY. 
try houses, than of a city. It lies twenty miles 
south of the Atlas, and may be considered as the 
frontier town of this part of the emperor's domi- 
nions ; for the tribes of the Sahara pay a very no- 
minal and imperfect obedience to him. 
Lempriere was well received by the prince, and 
immediately began to exercise his medical func- 
tions. The patient's complaint was in his eyes, 
the sight of which he had almost entirely lost \ one 
of them being affected by a cataract, and the other 
by a gutta serena. The prospect of a cure did 
not appear to Mr Lempriere very favourable ; es- 
pecially as there were many obstacles to the ad- 
ministration of the requisite medicines. First, it 
appeared impossible to the prince, that any thing 
received into his stomach should produce any ef- 
fect upon his eye ; then he was assured that Euro- 
pean medicines would produce some pernicious, 
and even fatal effects on his constitution. How- 
ever, upon being persuaded to make a trial, he 
. found such benefit, as not only induced him to 
persevere, but raised Lempriere to great favour. 
Meantime, the ladies of the harem were also 
anxious to receive the advice of an European phy- 
sician ; but it was with the utmost difficulty that 
Lempriere could obtain the means, either of gra- 
tifying his curiosity, or of forming a correct judg- 
ment of their situation. The first lady to whom 
he was introduced had a curtain drawn quite across 
12 
