In the cathedral they have a
marble-stone, on which there is engraved, in Arabic characters, a
monumental inscription to the following effect:
"GOD is alone permanent.
This is the Sepulchre of his servant and Martyr,
who having placed his confidence in the Most
High, he trusts that his sins will be forgiven."
JOSEPH, son of ABDALLAH, of the town of _Metelin_,
died in the moon _Zilhage_.
I bought here an Egyptian household _God_, or _Lar_ of solid metal,
which was lately dug up near the city walls; it is about nine inches
high, and weighs about five pounds. Several of the hieroglyphic
characters are visible on the breast and back, and its form is that of
an embalmed mummy. By a wholesome law of this city, the richest citizen
must be buried like the poorest, in a coffin of nine livres value, and
that coffin must be bought at the general Hospital. The sale of these
coffins for the dead, goes a great way towards the support of the poor
and the sick.
At this town I experienced the very reverse in every respect of what I
met with at _Barcelona_, though I had no better recommendation to Mr.
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