s a third row. The two new figures, confronted with each other,
in like manner, furnish a fifteenth figure, which, being confronted
with the first of the primaries, gives a sixteenth and last figure,
completing the series. Then (says our author), the geomant proceeds to
examine the sixteen figures thus obtained (each of which has its name
and its mansion, corresponding to one of the twelve signs of the zodiac
or the four cardinal points, as well as its signification, good or bad,
and indicates also, in a special way, a certain part of the elemental
world) and to note each figure according to its presage of weal or ill;
and so, with the aid of an astrological table giving the explanations
of the various signs and combinations, according to the nature of
the figure, its aspect, influence and temperament (astrologically
considered) and the natural object it indicates, a judgment is formed
upon the question for a solution of which the operation was undertaken.
I may add that the board or table of sand (tekht reml), so frequently
mentioned in the Nights, is a shallow box filled with fine sand,
carefully levelled, on which the points of the geomantic operation are
made with a style of wood or metal. (The name tekht reml is however
now commonly applied to a mere board or tablet of wood on which the
necessary dots are made with ink or chalk. ) The following scheme of
a geomantic operation will show the application of the above rules.
Supposing the first haphazard dotting to produce these sixteen rows of
points,

1......... (9) 5..... (6) 9......... (9) 13...... (6)
2......... (9) 6.... (4) 10........ (8) 14.... (4)
3........ (8) 7....... (7) 11......... (9) 15........ (8)
4....... (7) 8..... (5) 12....... (7) 16..... (5)

By the process of elimination we get the following four primaries:

Fig. 1 x Fig. 2 x x Fig. 3 x Fig. 4 x x
x x x x x x x
x x x x x x
x x x x

The process of confrontation of the corresponding points of these
four figures (according to rule 2) gives the following four
secondaries:

Fig. 5 x Fig. 6 x Fig. 7 x Fig. 8 x
x x x x x x
x x x x x x
x x x x x x x x

By confrontation of the poin