CIVET-CAT. — SCOEPIOXS. — FAKI. 187 All liis Turkish soldiers had suifercd from illness. In the neighbourhood of Kataref and Kalabatt arc some powerful Arab races, the most important of which in power and greatness, second to neither the Beni-Amer nor Haddenda, is the Kabyle (ti'ibc) Dabaina, under their present Sheik, Issa Wood Said. The Tokruri, in former days so important in Kalabatt, have been much weakened by wars with other Arab tribes, and witli Churscliid Pascha. The natives of Kalabatt and Kataref seem to be much darker tlian those of Taka. Their dress is the usual one worn, the Avell-known Fcrda ; the hair is frizzed and fastened in knots on the crown, as with the inhabitants of Gesira.

We gained a prize in a civet-cat, called by the Arabs kedissabat or sebat, a handsome animal, but unfortunately of an age not likely to admit of its being tamed. It is three feet in length, including its long pretty thick tail ; its feet are short, with small claws it never uses ; head long, eyes wild, ears small and thin, skin grey, with the most beauteous black spots ; tail with black and grey rings alternately. Below the tail are placed, on both sides, the glands that contain the singular musk-smelling substance, and these glands become, when it is excited, of a dark brown colour. The natives here, as elsewhei'e, value it highly, shut it up in a wicker-basket (kafass), and cai'cfuUy collect its strong-smelling secretions, which arc made use of by the women for powdering the upper parts of their body, their necks &c., and called by them musk. Its chief tbod is flesh, but it is very fond of milk.

Of reptiles, besides serpents of every size and colour, we found, many scorpions, very large and half black. As such in human form may the Faki be viewed, for they act as scourges on the superstitious Mussulmen in all ways. That the Mussulmen look on many matters as aphrodisiacs, such as opium, tea, pigeons, schnaps, punch, &c., is only laughable ; but it is vexatious to see how the Faki cheat the sick with their so-called charms and holy relics. The Sheik Effendi, a young mauhn (writer), with the rank of major, was suffering from violent fever, and, like a strict orthodox Turk, had recourse to the Faki for his cure, rather than to our quinine pills. NoAV, for one of these rascals to perform a cure, is a long ceremony, and consists chiefly of praying without intermission