The majority of the inhabitants soon visited them, and all appeared pleased at their arrival.  The kadi of the two neighbouring towns paid them many compliments, and pressed them much to spend a few days in his towns.  They could not take advantage of this offer, which was no doubt of a selfish nature, for Dr. Oudney had not conversed long with him, before he began to beg a shirt.  The doctor told him that his could be of no use to him, as it was very different from those of the country.  On being told that, he asked for a dollar to buy one, which Dr. Oudney took care to refuse, saying that he only gave presents of money to the poor.  The people made numerous urgent demands for medicines, and in a very short time, their large tent was surrounded with sick, the female part forming the majority.  Some beautiful faces and forms were clothed in rags; the plaited hair and necks of these even were loaded with ornaments.  The females were rather under the middle stature, strongly built, and possess considerable vivacity, and liveliness.  The complexion of those not much exposed to the sun was of a dirty white.

Dr. Oudney was also applied to in a new capacity, that of a charm-writer.  A man came and offered him two fowls, if he would give him a charm for a disease of the stomach; he was, however, obliged to decline the office of charm-writer, and confine himself to the cure of diseases by medicine.  A buxom widow applied for a medicine to obtain her a husband, but the doctor told her he had no such medicine along with him.  The same worthy personage took Lieutenant Clapperton for an old man, on account of his light-coloured beard and mustachios; but although this afforded some amusement to the party, Clapperton felt some chagrin at it, for he had prided himself on the strength and bushiness of his beard, and was not a little hurt that light colour should be taken as a mark of old age.  None of them had ever seen a light-coloured beard before, and all the old men dye their grey beards with henna, which gives them a colour approaching to that of Lieutenant Clapperton.

They now proceeded to visit the interior of the town.  The houses were built of mud, and erected on the sides of the hill, appearing as if one were pulled on the other.  The passages or streets between them are narrow, and in two or three instances, some excavations were made through the rocks.  The ascent was steep in some places, and they had to pass through the mosque before they arrived at the highest portion.  From this they had a line view of Wadey Shiati in every direction, running nearly east and west; in the former direction it was well inhabited as far as Oml’ Abeed, which is the westernmost town.  Many houses were in ruins, and many more were approaching to that state, still it was called the new town, although its appearance little entitles it to that appellation; but the ancient inhabitants lived in excavations in the rocks, the remains of which are very distinct.