240 AFEICAN WANDERIXGS.

yet greater, when Mohammed Dcfallah pulled out two bottles of date brandy, Avhich he, having spent all his money, had purchased for two pieces of cloth which he had won by his dromedary's speed ; and I now requested the party to be allowed to prepare for them a Frank drink. I poured out the bottles' contents into a vessel, and, to the surprise of all, set fire to the brandy ; a thing none had before seen, much less tried ; and then taking white sugar, melted it in the flames. When they beheld us two stirring about the flaming liquor with our hands, Avithout fear or pain, they took us for sorcerers. Abu- Sin and Wod-Naga, who, being Faki, did not drink even merissa, stared with the utmost astonishment at each other, and retired without taking leave of any one. On our blowing out the flame, jMelek Mahmud was the first who ventured to taste it, and soon after the strong-liquorloving Defallah was all joy, and praising the Germans (Nemza) who had invented such a beverage. Ere long it suddenly occurred to the fat Defallah, that he had not said his evening prayer. Although Melek Mahmud would have prevented him, and told him that he himself only prayed when no plunder was to be had, iie, with the aid of his servants, rose from the gi'ound and staggered out of the door. There he was let down, on the spot where we had often before seen him praying, and where, contrary to prescribed ceremony, he let his heavy posteriors rest on his heels, but could not call to mind one word of his prayers ; nor would he have got out a word had he one so, as he held in his mouth the biting bukka (tobacco, natron and water), and could only make a dull mumbling murmur. After this there was much talk, and the Turks were abused, as usual : all had full confidence in us, and were well convinced we told no tales.

Of the female slaves of Basa, brought into tlie camp for sale, the old rogues who had most money (such, for instance, as Hassan Effendi) have bought the most beautiful, for the purpose of again selling them at a large profit ; the lower ranks of ofiicers also buy on a venture, and foolishly enough, as they have seldom sufficient to keep themselves. Old Deli Mustapha, the Pascha's Kawedschi, had bought a slave, and hidden her in a nook behind tlic hearth where he cooked his coffee, where she could neither stand upright, nor see daylight. Although we were very