r a second madness; and indeed their language has only one
word, mest, for a drunkard and a madman.

[Footnote 238: This device for measuring time is the same with the
_clepsydra_, or water-clocks, of the ancients.--_Purch._]

They keep yearly a solemn feast, or Lent, which they call _Ram jan_,
[Ramadan] about the month of August, which continues a whole moon;
during which time, those who are strict in their religious observances,
avoid the embraces of their women, and abstain from meat or drink so
long as the sun is above the horizon, but eat after it sets, at their
pleasure. Towards the close of this Lent, or ramadan, they consecrate
one day of mourning, in memory of their departed friends; on which
occasions, I have seen many of the meaner people making bitter
lamentations. Besides this ordinary and stated time of sadness, many
foolish women are in use, oft times in the year, so long as they
survive, to water the graves of their husbands or children with the
tears of affectionate regret. On the night succeeding the day of general
mourning, they light up innumerable lamps, and other lights, which they
set on the sides and tops of their houses, and all other most
conspicuous places, taking no food till these are burnt out. When the
ramadan is entirely ended, the most devout Mahometans assemble at some
noted mosque, where some portion of the _Alcoran_ is publicly read; this
being their holy book, like our Bible, which they never touch without
some mark of reverence. They keep a festival in November, which they
call _Buccaree_, signifying the _ram-feast_; on which occasion they kill
and roast a ram, in memory, as they say, of the ram which redeemed
Ishmael, when about to be sacrificed by his father Abraham. They have
many other feasts or holidays consecrated to Mahomet, and their
_pieres_, or pretended saints.

They have the books of Moses, whom they name _Moosa curym Alla_, the
righteous of God. Abraham they call _Ibrahim calim Alla_, the faithful
of God. Thus Ishmael is called the true sacrifice of God; David is named
_Dahoode_, the prophet of God; Solomon is _Seliman_, the wisdom of God,
and so forth; all neatly expressed, as the former instances, in short
Arabic epithets. In honour of these our scripture worthies, they
frequently sing songs or ditties of praise; and, besides, all of them,
except those of the ruder sort, when at any time they happen to mention
our Saviour, always call him _Hazaret Eesa_, the Lord Je