SIIEIK MUSSA RESOLVES TO STARVE HIMSELF. 225 with. Such a iVizzing-out i-C([uircs many hours' hiliour, and with the women it often takes up a whole clay, as their hair is very stitF and difficult to arrange. The women carry very heavy burdens on their heads, and move under them with much grace and activity, nor did we observe any deformity among tlieni.

Ve paid a visit to the Chawaga Mohammed, a respected and, in his way, well-informed merchant : he coniirmed to us what the liery milkmaid of Mohammed Ehle, by name Fatme, liad reported in the camp, that our friend Mussa, wlio had been most shamefully defamed by Ehle to the Pascha, had shut himself u] in his tokul, to starve himself to death. For four days he had been shut up in his dark hut without any nourishment, and threatened to stab with his lance any one who came near its door. We held it to be our duty to dissuade him from this determination, and so went to his house. Here all Avere in deep sorrow, and we were Avarned not to go near the tokul, as the Sheik Avas a brave man, who Avould keep his Avord. Tliis however did not alarm us, nor pre-A-ent our going up to the door and begging admittance, saying we Avished before his death, Avhich Ave declared a manly one, to take our leave of him. It Avas the work of some hours, during Avhich Ave sat in the shade of the recuba, to get the miserable man to ansAver us. At length, however, after Ave had stoutly abused both Turks and Mohammed Ehle, he cried out tliat all should retire save Ave alone, and cautiously opening Avith his lance the door, admitted us, and again locked it behind him, so that only a very little light came in through its crevices. We embraced and kissed the brave old man, Avho Avept that it Avas the last time he Avould behold us. We pretended to be about to leave him ; my brother telling him he carried drops about with him, Avhich did he take he Avould avoid all the tortures of the death by starvation he seemed resolved on. I still see the man, Avith shaking knees, leaning on his lance, and gazing on my brotlier. as he dro])pcd on sugar, from a phial, some liquid anodyne. lussa let his lance fall, seized us both by the hands, and begged my brother to stick the sugar in his mouth. Instead of the instantaneous hoped for effect, he found his love of life aAvakened ; and my brother plainly told him that he now would live fourteen days, although he took neither food nor drink. This did not at all please him, and he R -2