Belford, on his recovery, assisted me to make a little flag-staff with a topmast, on which we placed rigging and a small vane instead of colours, Mr. Ritchie not wishing to hoist our little union jack. This contrivance brought us many visitors, who were much entertained at seeing the vane turn round; but the greatest part of them hinted pretty plainly, that we must be fools for wishing to see what quarter the wind came from, which they could not possibly imagine to be of the least consequence to us. At this season, Scorpions were very numerous in all the houses, and I think more particularly so in ours. I had acquired, at Tripoli, a knack of catching without receiving harm from them, and in consequence had the credit of possessing a charm against them; however, I once received a very severe sting. When going to sit down on our mat, I inadvertently put my hand, it being dark, on a small scorpion, which instantly stung me. Aware of what it was, I procured a light, and hastened with a lancet, to cut to the bone and to suck out the blood: Mr. Ritchie then burnt a deep hole with caustic. The pain remained very acute for some time, and my right side felt rather paralysed; but, owing to the precautions which I had taken, I passed a good night, and the next morning found no inconvenience except a little swelling, and the usual soreness attendant on a burn. Many instances are known of children dying of the sting in three days. There is a little reptile found in the sand here, called Aselis; it somewhat resembles a lizard in form, and has the power, when alarmed, of instantly burying itself in the sand. If one is thrown down from the hand, it sinks so perpendicularly on the spot where it falls, that it can immediately be found again. These little creatures are eagerly bought by the girls and married women, for the purpose of ascertaining how many children they shall have. By stretching them, the spine will immediately crack, and the women most religiously believe, that for every sound they shall bear a child.