6 
MANNERS OF THE HOLY RACE. 
labours, but are obliged to transport all the water they use, from 
wells; which increases the toil, and lamentably circumscribes 
the extent of their cultivation. 
The day after our arrival in the village, Dr. Sharpe was at¬ 
tacked with a bilious fever; and became too seriously ill to allow 
of further travelling, till some favourable change should take 
place in the disorder. Hence, in spite of our mutual eagerness to 
proceed, I was obliged to supply the place of a more able prac¬ 
titioner in the application of calomel and tartar emetic, during 
twelve days’ delay; and so made a more intimate acquaintance 
with the manners, public and domestic, of the holy race, than he 
or I had meditated on our entrance within the hallowed bound¬ 
ary. I found our landlord an active and intelligent man, with 
whom I went out almost every day before sun-rise, on shooting- 
parties. The principal game were red-legged partridges, which 
abound in these valleys. There are bears also, of considerable 
size, which destroy the vines and bee-hives, the two great sources 
of this people’s wealth ; but amongst these spoilers of the field, 
our host was a very Antar. He was also as good-humoured a 
son of Mahommed as any who enjoys the privileges of his line¬ 
age ; and in no way grudged himself the latitude the Koran al¬ 
lows. Amongst other indulgences, he gifted himself with wives 
to the full complement; and added as many supernumerary 
handmaids, as his conscience could make room for. Conse¬ 
quently, where so numerous a collection of the livelier sex, with 
their several offspring, were together, we might expect any thing 
else for a sick man’s comfort, than silence for his repose. In¬ 
deed, from the hour of rising, to that of going to rest, the house 
sounded with one continued chatter of female voices, mingling 
with the prattle of children, and the bustling clamour of varied 
