It is not poison, see," and taking the cover off a little earthenware pot which he produced he scooped from it with his finger some of the contents, which looked like lard, put it on his tongue and swallowed it.
Then he rose and departed with his usual bows.
Here I may state that I used Harut's prescription with the most excellent results.

That night I took a dose in water, very nasty it was, and rubbed my leg with the stuff, to find that next morning all pain had left me and that, except for some local weakness, I was practically quite well.

I kept the rest of the salve for years, and it proved a perfect specific in cases of sciatica and rheumatism.

Now, alas! it is all used and no recipe is available from which it can be made up again.
The next few days passed uneventfully.

As soon as I could walk I began to go about the town, which was nothing but a scattered village much resembling those to be seen on the eastern coasts of Africa.