[24] Whether the Rais brought his superstitious reverence for amulets from Turkey or not I cannot tell, or acquired the notion here. But the superstition seems merely to have changed place with the Fetisch amongst the Negro Mohammedan converts. Haj Ibrahim, a merchant of Tripoli, was the only Mussulman I found who despised the use of charms. He observed:--"The _grigri_ is only fit for slaves, or ignorant Mussulmans." [25] Hell is ordinarily denominated _fire_ by people in The Desert. [26] Caillié gives an affecting account of this superstition amongst the Mandingoes:-- "On the 8th, I found myself very ill in consequence of the food, and I had an attack of fever. I took a few doses of sulphate of quinine, which had the effect of abating the fever for a few days. My host seemed much concerned at my indisposition. He searched through some old books which contained verses of the Koran, and brought me a scrap of paper well fumigated on which was written a charm in Arabic characters, assuring me that it was an excellent remedy for the disorder under which I was suffering. He directed me to copy it on a little piece of wood which he brought me; then, to wash off the writing with some water which I was to drink: he observed that this would to a certainty relieve me. To please him I copied the writing as he directed, and when he was gone washed the bit of board; but instead of drinking the water I threw it away, which had quite as good an effect, for next day I found myself tolerably well. My host, of course, attributed my amendment to the efficacy of his remedy." CHAPTER VI. THE FAST OF THE RAMADAN. The Sahara, and derivation of the Name.--Astonishment of the People at the Sovereign of England being a Woman.--Decision of the Kady on a diseased Camel.--The old Mendicant Bandit.--Phrenological examination of the Servants of the Rais.--The Scorpion and the Chamelion.--Starving state of the Arab Troops.--Contradictions in the Moorish Character.--Difficulty of acquiring notions of Quantities and Distances from the People.--The Princes to whom Presents are made in the Soudan Route.--How Butchers cut up their Meat.--Connexion between North Africa, The Sahara, and the East.--The Prophecy of The Dajal and Gog and Magog.--Origin of the Turks, Touaricks, and Russians.--How the Fast is broken in the Evening.--Phenomenon of Desert Sound.--The Great Spring of Ghadames.--The Malta Times.--The People their own Enslavers.--Quotation from Scripture.