176 
JOURNEY FROM 
very nearly so ; the watch was pulled, out, and when we had ex- 
pressed our surprise that it should be so much later than we had 
imagined, we ventured to ask of our white-bearded visitor if it would 
not be better that he should set out in advance, as he had himself 
so very prudently suggested. Upon this the Shekh rose, to our 
great delight, and after paying his adieus with the air of a man 
who was wholly occupied with other reflections, he took the Doctor 
aside, and with a significant half-smile upon his countenance, begged 
he would furnish him with the exhilarating medicine which he had 
promised him on a former occasion. The secret was disclosed which 
had so baffled our penetration ; for the Dhbbah confessed that as he 
was going home, from which he had been some time absent, he was 
particularly desirous of assuming an animated and youthful appear- 
ance in the presence of his young and handsome wife, who, he was 
fearful, he said, had already began to fancy him a little too old for 
her. He described this girl, to whom he had lately been married, as 
uncommonly pretty and only sixteen years of age ; and concluded 
by saying he did not despair, Imsh Allah (please God), that with the 
Doctor’s assistance, he might yet contrive to make himself agreeable 
to her ! Our chagrin was now succeeded by a violent fit of laughter, 
which we freely indulged in at the old Shekh s expense, and which 
he bore very goodnaturedly : the Doctor was not long in prepar- 
ing the draught ; and the Dhbbah had no sooner deposited it in 
his old leathern pouch, as safely as a glass phial could conveniently 
be put up with flints and steel, musket balls, old nails and horse- 
shoes, which were usually observed to be assembled there, than he 
