and his graciousness, to which they all respond. Afterwards he gives
them his blessing, and they bring before him a camel which he slays,
and this is their passover-sacrifice. He gives thereof unto the
princes and they distribute it to all, so that they may taste of the
sacrifice brought by their sacred king; and they all rejoice.
Afterwards he leaves the mosque and returns alone to his palace by way
of the river Hiddekel, and the grandees of Islam accompany him in
ships on the river until he enters his palace. He does not return the
way he came; and the road which he takes along the river-side is
watched all the year through, so that no man shall tread in his
footsteps. He does not leave the palace again for a whole year. He is
a benevolent man.

[p.59]

He built, on the other side of the river, on the banks of an arm of
the Euphrates which there borders the city, a hospital consisting of
blocks of houses and hospices for the sick poor who come to be
healed[126]. Here there are about sixty physicians' stores which are
provided from the Caliph's house with drugs and whatever else may be
required. Every sick man who comes is maintained at the Caliph's
expense and is medically treated. Here is a building which is called
Dar-al-Maristan, where they keep charge of the demented people who
have become insane in the towns through the great heat in the summer,
and they chain each of them in iron chains until their reason becomes
restored to them in the winter-time. Whilst they abide there, they are
provided with food from the house of the Caliph, and when their reason
is restored they are dismissed and each one of them goes to his house
and his home. Money is given to those that have stayed in the hospices
on their return to their homes. Every month the officers of the Caliph