[87] In examining the head of a mummy opened by M. Belzoni at the Egyptian Museum in Piccadilly, I mentioned to him the way in which I had extracted the brains of the patriarch; which led to an examination of the skull of the mummy before us, to see if it were possible to find out by what means the Egyptians extracted the brains previous to embalming. No division of the scalp or inequality of the bone, as if it had been forcibly opened, could be discovered on any part of the head. There was no passage even for a probe up through the palate or the substance of the sphenoidal bone; but the right nostril was larger than the left, and, on introducing a crooked probe, I could carry it up into the cavity of the skull, and I suspect that to have been the opening by which the brain was extracted.
[88] In this respect the Mahometans are exceedingly praiseworthy. A body, previous to interment, is carefully washed, and prepared for going to the grave with scrupulous attention to cleanliness.
[89] Derwish el Seghýr was an ear-sucker! Ear-sucking is practised in deafness, abscess of the ears, and in other complaints of that organ.
[90] Near the village of Garýfy there is abundance of quartz lying on the surface of the soil. This village is nearly in the centre of Mount Lebanon.
[91] Afterwards Lord Guildford.
[92] When a person is named Shems, it does not mean that he bears simply that name. Shems-ed-dyn (or the sun of religion) is his true appellation. So no man in Turkey is commonly called Aladdin, or Ali-ed-dyn, as it should be written, but Ali only; and Aladdin, his name in full length, would be inserted in writing only.
[93] In 1815, there was not in all Syria a factor (unless the English consul may be styled one) who spoke English.
[94] “And Laban said, it must not be so done in our country, to give the younger before the first born.” Genesis, xxvi. 29.
[95] Two blows, one on each foot, make a pair.
[96] In 1824, member of parliament for the University of Cambridge.