through Egj'pt and Sjria, 413 



lie \va3 feated, with fome more of the royal attendants, 

 under a kind of awning of cotton cloth, on a mat fpread 

 Upon the fund. After the common falutations, the Melek 

 and his company entered into converfation on the nature of 

 his vifit to the country; while each made remarks on his 

 pcrfon, and offered conjectures as to his charaficr and in- 

 tentions. At length a w ooden bowl of polenta, and an- 

 other of dried meat, were fet before them. Mr. Brown's 

 illnefs deprived him of all inclination to eat, and, obferving 

 the company not much inclined to invite him to join them, 

 and yet cmbarraffed to avoid that ceremony, he relieved 

 them by declining it, and defiring them to begin. When 

 they were fatiated, a great number of foolifh queftions were 

 afked him about Europe ; fome of which he waved, and 

 fatisfied them as to others in the beft manner he could. 

 When he obferved that thev grew tired of aflciiig queftions, 

 he feized the opportunity of explaining why he came there^ 

 and what favour he exjjefted would be (liewn to him, 

 *' Melek," faid Mr. Brown, ** having come from a far 

 dirtant country to Mifr (Kahira), I was there made ac- 

 quainted with tl>e magnificence, the extended empire, and, 

 above all, the juftice and hofpitality of the kmg Abd-el- 

 rachman. Having been ufed to wander over various coun- 

 tries as a c/tTwiJh, I grew defirous of feeing Dar-Fur. I 

 was toid that my perfon and property would be fecure : but 

 fmce my arrival within the conlines, I have found all thcfo 

 aflurances fallacious; my inclinations have been thwarted, 

 my perfon treated with indignity, and my property plun- 

 dered. I alk rcdrcfs — I defire the puniflnncnt of the man. 

 who has robbed me, and rcfiitutlon of what Fias been taken. 

 Nor is tFiis all ; I particularly defire permiflion to go to 

 •Sennaar, in order to proceed to ITabcfh. I was prc\ented 

 from going ihcro luft yc^r by the ftraight road. Jlabcfli is 

 a Chriftian country, abounding in (laves and gold : there 

 arc alfo many herbs valuable in medicine, fieing ihrre, I 

 uiay eafily join my countrymen, merchants who come t^ 



M<jccha, 



