ally paid them. Within the last two or three months we frequently had passed a whole day without food.
“Belford and I fell ill about this period, and were both confined to our beds; he with a bilious fever, and I with severe pains in my back and head, which frequently caused delirium. I had had repeated attacks of ague and fever from the beginning of August, generally about three times a week, and sometimes more frequently, which had much weakened me, and brought on a decided liver complaint, as well as an affection of the spleen. Fortunately, however, my spirits were good, or I must have sunk under so many attacks. In this month, about twenty Tripoli merchants died from the effects of climate, bad water, and the want of nourishing food; even many of the natives were very ill, and it was quite rare to sec a healthy looking person. I remained a week in bed, and arose from it quite a skeleton; Belford was still in a very dangerous state.
“On the 8th of November, Mr. Ritchie being again attacked by illness, I much wished him to allow of my selling some of our powder to procure him a few comforts; but to this he would not assent. On the 9th I again fell ill, and was confined to my bed; and Belford, though himself an invalid, attended on us both. Our little girl, however, assisted in nursing us. After lying in a torpid state for three or four days, without taking any nourishment or even speaking to us, Mr. Ritchie became worse, and at last delirious, as in his former illnesses. In the interval, my disorder having abated, I was enabled to rally a little, and to attend on my poor suffering companion.
“After he had somewhat recovered his intellect, he appeared very anxious to know whether any letters had arrived, announcing to us a further allowance of money from Government; but when I, unfortunately, was obliged to reply in the negative, he avoided nil comment on the subject. He would not drink any tea, of which we had still some remaining; but preferred vinegar and water, our only acid, which he drank ia great quantities. Being entirely free from pain, he flattered himself that he should, in a day or two, recover, particularly as he was not at all emaciated, but rather stouter than he had been for some months previous to his illness. One day he appeared so far recovered as to be able to get up; we placed him on the mat in the centre of the room, when he seemed much refreshed, and thanked us for the trouble we had taken; he then expressed a wish to have a little coffee, which, for a time, I was unwilling to give, fearing it might injure him: he was, however, so earnest in his request, that I was obliged at last to comply with it. In the evening, one or two of the Mamlukes came in; he spoke to them for a little while, and soon after fell asleep. In the morning I found he had crept from his bed, and was lying uncovered, and in a state of delirium, on the cold sand. We immediately put him to bed, and he again appeared to rally.
“On the 20th, we got a fowl, of which we made a little soup for him;
