CHAP. V. 
JOURNEY TO GATRONE. 
221 
for his disorder would be three long burns across the back, which 
he assured him would soon put all to rights. Feeling compassion 
for the poor sufferer, I told him if he would follow me to the camels, 
I woidd give him some medicine which would relieve, instead of 
putting him to the torture ; but he refused, and I have no doubt 
paid the accustomed fee of corn, and submitted to the prescribed 
burning next morning, lliis operator showed us a file of his own 
making, of which he was very proud. It was a small bar of iron, 
and when red hot, had been notched by a flint. He boasted, that 
although its appearance was not in its favour, it was a far better file 
than any bought in Morzouk. 
From this place some remarkable mountains bore IMengar Mej- 
dool, S. 75°. W. Mengar Omesogueer, S. W. two miles ; and Mengar 
Terboo, X.E. one mile. We followed the camels, and arrived with 
them at 10. 20. at Omesogueer, 31 miles S.W. by W. of Terboo. 
Here we were shown the tomb of a very great Maraboot ; and, 
as usual on such occasions, repeated the Fatha. This holy man 
was named Sidi Said el Tare, (or lion the bird) ; because, on every 
Friday, according to the people of the plain, he appeared in the 
form of a beautiful green bird during the Asr, or afternoon prayer ; 
but he was visible only to a few of his own relations and brother 
Maraboots. 
We passed over a salt plain, and came to some scattered palms, 
after which we entered on a larger plain, and arrived at Mejdool jjOcsJr* 
at 1. 50. ; having travelled S. 75°. W, from Omesogueer. Mejdool is 
a large straggling village of mud and palm huts, and not surrounded 
by a wall ; it has, however, a castle in about the same state of 
repair as the others we had seen. The people appear more lively 
and animated than the generality of Fezzanners, — Behind the town 
