THE PRAYER OF PEACE.

39

the Bishary are men not to be trusted. They would put you to death, and laugh at you all the time they were tormenting you. Now, if you want to visit Abyssinia, go by Cosseir and Jidda; there you Christians command the country."

"All that is right, Shekh,” said I; "but suppose your people meet us in the desert, in going to Cosseir, how should we fare in that case? Should we fight?"

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I have told you, Shekh, already,” replied he, "cursed be the man who lifts his hand against you, or even does not defend and befriend you, to his own loss, were it Ibrahim, my own son."

I then told him I was bound to Cosseir, and that, if I found myself in any difficulty, I hoped his people would protect me, and that he would give them the word that I was Yagoube, a physician seeking no harm, but doing good; bound by a vow, for a certain time, to wander through deserts, from fear of God, and that they should not have it in their power to do me harm.

The old man muttered something to his sons in a dialect I did not then understand; and presently the hut was filled with priests and monks of their religion, and the heads of families. Joining hands, they repeated a prayer of about two minutes long, by which they declared themselves and their children accursed, if ever they lifted their hands against me in the tell, in the desert, or on the river, or if they did not protect me and mine, to the death of the last male child among them.

Medicines and advice being given on my part, faith and protection pledged on theirs, two bushels of wheat and seven sheep were carried down to the boat; nor could we decline their kindness, as refusing a present in that country, however it is understood in ours, is just as great an affront as coming into the presence of a superior without any present at all.

Wishing to see the cataract of Syene, which is a few hours' journey above Shekh Ammer, we sailed, with a favourable wind, on the morning of the 20th. I was not well arrived at Syene, before a janissary came, in long Turkish clothes, without arms, and with a white wand in his hand, to tell me that this was a garrison town, and that the Aga was at the castle, ready to give me audience. I, however, thought proper to take two hours' rest before going to the Aga. The fort is built of clay, with some small guns mounted, strong enough to keep people of the country in awe. I found the Aga sitting in a small kioosk or closet, upon a stone bench covered with carpets. As I was in no fear of him, I was resolved to walk according to my privileges. I sat down upon a cushion below him, after laying my hand on my breast, and saying in an audible voice, with great marks of respect, however, "Salam alicum !" (Peace be between us); to which he answered, without any of the usual difficulty, "Alicum salam!" (There is peace between us.) After sitting down about two minutes, I again got up, and stood in the middle of the room before him, saying, "I am bearer of a hatésherriffe (or royal mandate) to you, Mahomet Aga!" and took the firman out of my bosom and presented it to him. Upon this he stood upright, and all the rest of the people, before sitting with him, likewise; he bowed his head upon the carpet, then put the firman to his forehead, opened it, and pretended to read it; but he knew well the contents, and I believe, besides, he could neither read nor write any language. I then gave him the other letters from Cairo, which he ordered his secretary to read in his ear.

All this ceremony being finished, he called for a pipe and coffee. I refused the first, as never using it; but I drank a dish of coffee, and told him that I was bearer of a confidential message

from Ali Bey of Cairo, and wished to deliver it to him without witnesses, whenever he pleased. The room was accordingly cleared without delay. I told the Aga that, being a stranger, and not knowing the disposition of his people, or what footing they were on together, and being desired to address myself only to him by the Bey and our mutual friends at Cairo, I wished to put it in his power (as he pleased or not) to have witnesses of delivering the small present I had brought him from Cairo. The Aga seemed very sensible of this delicacy; and particularly desired me to take no notice to my landlord, the Schourbatchie, of anything I had brought him.

All this being over, and a confidence established with government, I sent his present by his own servant that night, under pretence of desiring horses to go to the cataract next day. Next morning, at six, the Aga sent me his own horse, with mules and asses for my servants, to go to the cataract, which is about six miles distant. Passing out at the south gate of the town, we saw, a little to the left, a number of tombstones, with inscriptions in the Cufic character. On arriving at the cataract, I was surprised to find that vessels sail up it. The river, not half a mile broad, is divided into a number of small channels, by large blocks of granite from thirty to forty feet high. The chafing of the water against these huge obstacles, and the meeting of the contrary currents one with another, create such a violent ebullition, and make such a noise, as to fill the mind with confusion rather than terror.

We saw the miserable Kennouss, who inhabit the banks of the river up into Nubia, lying behind rocks, with lines in their hands, catching fish. They are not black, but of the darkest brown; are not woolly-headed, but have hair. They are small,

light, agile people, and seem to be more than half-starved. I wanted to speak with them, but they ran off at full speed when I approached.

Having stayed for several days at Syene making observations, we embarked, on the 26th January, at the very spot where I again took boat about three years afterwards. We now no longer enjoyed the advantage of our prodigious main-sail; not only were our yards lowered, but our masts were taken out, and we floated down the current like a wreck. In the evening I stopped at Shekh Ammer, and saw my patient Nimmer, who was better, and as thankful as ever. On February 2, I reached Kenné, and took up my quarters at Badjoura, in a house which had formerly been assigned to me.

As I was now about to launch into that part of my expedition in which I was to have no further intercourse with Europe, I set to work to examine all my observations, and put my journal in such forwardness, that the labour and pains I had hitherto been at might not be totally lost to the public, if I should perish in the journey I had undertaken. Having finished these, at least so far as to make them intelligible to others, I conveyed them to my friends, Messrs. Julian and Rosa, at Cairo, to remain in their custody till I should return, or news come that I was otherwise disposed of.

CHAPTER III.

From Kenné to Cosseir-Across the Desert with a Caravan-Adventures on the way-Arrival at Cosseir-Interview with Hussein Bey-I meet again with the Arabs Ababdé-Excursion to the Mountain of Emeralds-A Storm in the Red Sea.

IT T was on Thursday, the 16th of February 1769, that we heard the caravan was ready to set out from Kenné, the Cœne Emporium of antiquity. During the day we passed several dirty villages of the Azaizy, a poor inconsiderable tribe of Arabs. They live by letting out their cattle for hire to the caravans, and attending themselves when necessary. The houses of the Azaizy are made of potter's-clay, in one piece, in the shape of a beehive; the largest is not above ten feet high, and six feet in diameter.

On the 17th, at eight o'clock in the morning, having mounted my servants on horseback, and taken charge of our own camels, for there was an indescribable confusion in the caravan, and our guards we knew were but a set of thieves, we advanced slowly into the desert. Our road was all the way in an open plain, bounded by hillocks of sand and fine gravel, perfectly hard, and not perceptibly above the level of the plain country of Egypt. About twelve miles distant there is a ridge of mountains, of no considerable height, perhaps the most barren in the world. Between these our road lay, through plains, never three miles