Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1818 edition. Excerpt: ... staddles of considerable size, and also standing water. The tents were pitched, and in the vicinity were situated about forty other tents. * CHAP. XVL Medical practice--Hogan and Dick--sale of Porter--happiness in Zahara--author regains his health--is sold to Hamet Webber, an Arab merchant of the Wiled El Kabla--African and European merchandise--an expected battle--gunnery---females of the El Kabla tribe. January, 1816. IT was now from my best Calculation, the first week in January. The tents remained stationary for four days, upon the first of which, a camel was slain; with the fat part of which Meaarah procured a small skin full of dates, the first I had seen. These the Arabs call T'murr. They are a sweet nourishing food, and the few allowed me tasted deliciously. I was now literally reduced to a skeleton. The irritation of the blanket around my middle, and sleeping upon sand and hard ground, had worn the skin entirely offmy hip-bones, leaving them visible; indeed, this was the case with all the prominent bones in my body. I was completely dried up; and the skin was contracted and drawn tight around my bones. Although I had seen many human beings reduced, to bones and sinews before, I certainly never saw one so poor as I was myself. I was in no danger of inflammatory diseases, as there was nothing about me to be inflamed, unless a conflagration should have been made of my dried carcase; and this I was in danger of from the mode of practice adopted by the Ishmaelitish faculty. They heated the blade of a long tent-knife--stripped me bare--held me in a perpendicular posture--and, with the edge of the hot knife began to strike gently upon my shin-bones, and continued to chop the whole of the front part of my frame. I felt not the least...
