4IO J[n Accou7it of Mr. Brown's Travels 



They remained at Bir-cl-Malha till the 12th, and on the 

 20th encamped at a fpot called Medwa. On the 23d they 

 came to the firft fprings within the limits of Fur, which are 

 in this place called Wadi Mafruk. The white ant, termis, 

 was here exceedingly vexatious, building its covered way to 

 every thing within the tent, and deftroying all within its 

 reach. This, together with the rains, which were now in- 

 creafing, and began to pour in a torrent through the valley, 

 obliged them to abandon their tents, and to take (lielter in 

 the next village (Sweini), where Mr. Brown obtained an 

 apartment in the houfe of Ali-el-Chat?b, one of the princi- 

 pal merchants eftabliflicd in the country. There he fpent 

 eight or ten days, and did not arrive at Cobbc, one of the 

 towns to which the jelabs chiefly rcfort, till the 7th of Au- 

 guft; A Melck, or governor, on the part of the Sultan of 

 Dar-Fur, generally refides at Sweini; and there all flrangers, ' 

 as well as merchants of the country, coming with the cara- 

 van, are obliged to wait till the plcafure of the monarch in 

 difpofing of them be known. 



As Mr. Brown had come to the country under confi- 

 derable exceptions from the general rule of merchants trad- 

 ing to this country, and, in the Arabic language, rather as 

 Daif-es-Sultan, the king's ftranger, in which light he had' 

 been hitherto viewed by the natives, he expefted to obtain 

 immediate permiflion to continue his journey to the royal 

 relidence. " I obferved,'' fays he to the Meiek of Sweini 

 gnd other public officers, " that, intending to vifit the 

 Sultan, I fhould hardly have expeftcd to be put back with 

 frivolous excuf^s, as the non-pavment of duties which vou 

 dare not explicitly demand of me, and tributes, under the 

 name of prefents, \\ hich have never yet been exacted of any 

 ftranger. If any duties be payable, beyond what have been 

 already difcharged, you are perfeAly at liberty' to detain all, 

 or fuch part of the articles T bring with me, as you may 

 judge fufficlent to anfwer your claim, but not to relufe me 

 permiflion to go to the Sultan^ with whom I have bufinefs. 



Or, 



