We economised, as well as we could, our small allowance of money, which, however, soon became much reduced, as we had incurred many debts, which we now punctually paid. We laid in a stock of corn, which for a time afforded us a secure resource. Within the last two or three months we frequently had passed a whole day without food.
Belford and I fell ill about this period, and were both confined to our beds; he with a bilious fever, and I with severe pains in my back and head, which frequently caused delirium. I had repeated attacks of ague and fever (called Hemma by the natives) from the beginning of August, generally about three times a week, and sometimes more frequently, which had much weakened me, and brought on a decided liver complaint, as well as an affection of the spleen. Fortunately, however, my spirits were good, or I must have sunk under so many attacks. In this month about twenty Tripoli merchants died from the effects of climate, bad water, and the want of nourishing food; even many of the natives were very ill, and it was quite rare to see a healthy looking person. I remained a week in bed, and arose from it quite a skeleton; Belford was still in a very dangerous state.
| Drawn from Life by G. F. Lyon. | On Stone by M. Gauci. |
Negresses of Soudan.
London. Published by J. Murray Albemarle St. Feb.1.1821.
C. Hullmandel’s Lithography.
One night, as we were all sitting pensively on our mat, our friend Yussuf, the Mamluke, came in, and addressing Mr. Ritchie, said,
“Yussuf, you and Saïd are my friends; Mukni has behaved to you as he has done to us, and hopes you may die that he may secure to himself all your goods. You seem very melancholy, and never speak; answer me one question, do you want money?” Mr. Ritchie having acknowledged that he did, Yussuf rejoined, “I do not myself possess any, but I will go and borrow some for you: how much do you require?” Twenty dollars being the sum named by Mr. Ritchie, our kind friend went out, and soon after returned, bringing us thirty! an act of generosity so unlooked for, that we were wholly incapable of thanking him as he deserved. This seasonable supply enabled us to buy good food, and to make some amends for our late privations. We soon became in better health, and Mr. Ritchie’s spirits began to brighten up.
Belford, on his recovery, assisted me to make a little flag-staff with a topmast, on which we placed rigging and a small vane instead of colours, Mr. Ritchie not wishing to hoist our little union jack. This contrivance brought us many visitors, who were much entertained at seeing the vane turn round; but the greatest part of them hinted pretty plainly, that we must be fools for wishing to see what quarter the wind came from, which they could not possibly imagine to be of the least consequence to us. At this season, Scorpions were very numerous in all the houses, and I think more particularly so in ours. I had acquired, at Tripoli, a knack of catching without receiving harm from them, and in consequence had the credit of possessing a charm against them; however, I once received a very severe sting. When going to sit down on our mat, I inadvertently put my hand, it being dark, on a small scorpion, which instantly stung me. Aware of what it was, I procured a light, and hastened with a lancet, to cut to the bone and to suck out the blood: Mr. Ritchie then burnt a deep hole with caustic. The pain remained very acute for some time, and my right side felt rather paralysed; but, owing to the precautions which I had taken, I passed a good night, and the next morning found no inconvenience except a little swelling, and the usual soreness attendant on a burn. Many instances are known of children dying of the sting in three days.
There is a little reptile found in the sand here, called Aselis; it somewhat resembles a lizard in form, and has the power, when alarmed, of instantly burying itself in the sand. If one is thrown down from the hand, it sinks so perpendicularly on the spot where it falls, that it can immediately be found again. These little creatures are eagerly bought by the girls and married women, for the purpose of ascertaining how many children they shall have. By stretching them, the spine will immediately crack, and the women most religiously believe, that for every sound they shall bear a child.