That which I did not see was the superior one, and took its departure from under the walls of the castle. It was headed by a man named Mohammed, who had been much at our house, going on errands, and attending our horses. I did not, until afterwards, know he was so celebrated a character. Before the time of the procession he was confined in a dungeon, in consequence of his becoming very furious. When all was in readiness for the ceremony, the Bashaw took his station in the balcony overlooking the Arsenal, and this man was set at liberty, when he rushed on an ass, and with one thrust pushed his hand into the animal’s side, from which he tore its bowels, and began to devour them. Many eat dogs, and other animals; and on that day a little Jew boy was killed in the street, either by the Marāboots or their followers. As the power of taking up serpents and scorpions is supposed to constitute a Marāboot, I determined on acquiring that honorable title. Mr. Ritchie bought some snakes, which we all learnt to handle, and I soon found out an effectual way of taking up the largest scorpions without the slightest chance of being stung. However, in order to observe the ceremonies practised by these pretended saints, I sent a servant in search of one of the most celebrated, under pretence of wishing myself to become a Marāboot. This fellow went through numberless prayers and ceremonies, spitting in my hands, taking rose-water in his mouth, and sprinkling my face with it, reciting occasional prayers, and then washing his own mouth and hands in rose-water. After bottling up this sacred fluid, he told me to drink it on a particular day, which he named, and I then should be as highly gifted as himself; thus concluding his instructions, which, of course, I did not think myself bound to observe. There are two grand markets held weekly, one on the sands behind the town every Tuesday, and the other on Fridays, about four miles distance, amongst the gardens of the Meshea مشيه which form a stripe of about three or four miles in breadth, between the beach and the desert. In the town are Bazaars, which are open every day. These are streets, covered in overhead. The shops of merchants are ranged on each side, and are very small. Slaves and goods are carried about before the traders by auctioneers, who keep up a continual din, each calling the price last bidden. The Jews have a quarter of the town expressly to themselves, where they have their shops, and in which they are shut up every evening at sunset. This place is called Zanga t’el Yahood زنقامتا اليحود. These people are much persecuted, yet they contrive to engross all the trade and places of profit. They are forbidden, as I before observed, to wear gaudy clothes, and are only allowed turbans of blue.