112 
TEAYELS IN CENTEAL AFEICA. 
colds and coughs ; one in particular who_, having little faith in the 
ordinary treatment^ gave himself into the barher^s hands, who, with 
a razor, was about to cut ofiP his tonsils, which, he said, were of 
no use in the man^s throat ! This was prevented by Petherick. 
On another occasion, one of the crew accidentally bruised his instep. 
He appeared one day with his foot bleeding profusely. Inquiring 
the cause, he replied that he had cut it with a razor in three places, 
as that was the best way to cure the bruise. His foot is now in a 
sad state and he is unable to use it. 
Another sprite of a man — Blondin we call him — made a com- 
plaint that one of his shoulders had slipped lower down than the 
other, and unless the Consul could pull it up again for him, he 
could not work. Petherick called for a hammer and a long nail, 
and placing the man in proper position, prepared to raise the 
arm. A light dawning suddenly on Blondin, that the nail was to 
be employed in fastening his arm in its place, he declared he was 
better, and we soon saw him with the towing-line in hand. 
The evening was calm and cloudless, and the new moon was 
visible, fine as a silver thread. A pretty custom is here observed ; 
it brings our people nearer to us : when the crescent in the sky is 
seen — and those who catch the first glimpse are deemed fortunate — 
they all come up to kiss our hands and pray that God may grant 
us a happy month. 
Ali had a petition to make for pardon : it was granted. A few 
days ago, he, when cleaning my fowling-piece, accidentally let 
off one of the barrels : the charge passed through the cabin side, 
through a tin can containing flour, breaking also some' bottles that 
were on the same shelf, the glass cutting my arm and the flour 
powdering my hair. Petherick^s rage was great, and it was only 
the gratitude he felt for a life spared that prevented him from 
