MEMOIR OF BURCKIIARDT. 89 



It was his original intention to have proceeded 

 down to Massuah, which harhour he would thus 

 have reached by a northern road, different from 

 that travelled by Bruce. But he found, notwith- 

 standing the information received at Shendey, that 

 there was no commercial intercourse between the 

 two places. If he had travelled at all, it must have 

 been in the character of a dervish or beggar ; but 

 the want of hospitality among the Arabs who in- 

 habit those parts, rendered even that attempt im- 

 practicable. He was therefore obliged to abandon 

 this project, and proceed to Souakin, higher up the 

 coast, by one of the routes much frequented by the 

 African pilgrim caravans on their way to Mecca. 

 In thirteen days he arrived at that port (July 20), 

 from which he crossed the Arabian Gulf to Jiddah. 

 At Souakin, he was suspected of being a spy or 

 refugee of the Mamelouks, with whom Ali, Pasha 

 of Egypt, was then at war ; and this mistake had 

 nearly involved him in some danger. The Turkish 

 Emir, who governed in the Pasha's name, insisted 

 upon taking his camel from him ; and when he ap- 

 pealed for justice to the Aga, the latter threatened 

 ! to imprison him and confiscate his whole baggage. 

 I Fortunately he had provided himself with two fir- 

 I mans, one from Ali himself, and another from his 

 son Ibrahim ; and on producing these, which he 

 had hitherto concealed, the insolence and manners 

 of the rapacious functionaries were suddenly changed 

 into the most profound respect ; and it appeared 

 not a little suprising to the citizens to see a person 



