THE AUTHOR IS CONSULTED AS A PHYSICIAN. 243 
overwhelmed me, a very rich invalid begged me to step to his 
house. I first passed through several streets bordered by 
quick hedges, which formed a bower impervious to the rays of 
the sun. Papaw, orange, and banana trees shaded the road 
which we pursued. I met some young girls who veiled 
their heads and timidly presented me, some with bananas, 
others with milk. I began to think that I was dreaming ; these 
presents, the beauty of the place, the respect paid me by the 
inhabitants, made me for some time believe that all around 
me was an illusion, created by my own imagination. Ho\y, 
indeed, could I suppose that I should meet with such 
urbanity and politeness, in a village in the interior of Africa ! 
When I arrived at the house of the sick man who had sent 
for me, I assumed the sapient air suitable to a doctor ; a mat 
was spread for me upon the ground, and a kind of wooden 
desk was placed behind me, for me to lean my back against. 
This man complained of great pain in the hip ; I examined 
the diseased part, and prescribed poultices. It was, however, 
quite at random that I directed this application, but as I had 
in the morning ordered a foot-bath for another patient, 
I thought it necessary to vary the prescription in order to 
appear the more skilful. Hippocrates himself was loaded with 
fewer praises for delivering Athens from the plague, than I 
received on this occasion. 
The fee paid for my visit consisted of a piece of smoke- 
dried meat ; I obtained, besides, permission to inspect the 
I I 2 
