AND LOWER EGYPT. J ^ 



CHAP. XLir. 



Preparations for a journey to Sennaar — Co?ispirary 

 hetiveen the chief of the caravan of Nubia and 

 the Syrian interpreter, to assassinate the author, 

 obliged to renounce the journey into Abyssinia — 

 Caravans of the Nubians — Monkeys — Perroqueis 

 — Nubians — T-^isit to a camp of Bedouins — Perc- 

 nopters — Cophts — Repast — Rubbers for the feet 

 ^—Apricots — Water-melons — Melons — Dates — 

 ^emp, its intoxicating quality. 



I HAVE said that one Ibrahim Kiaschef was em- 

 ployed to oversee the taxes to which a caravan of 

 the Nubians which had arrived at Siout was sub- 

 jected. I saw him frequently ; he was of a very 

 gentle character, and he expressed a great deal of 

 affection for me. The important service which he 

 rendered me is a proof of the friendship of that 

 honest Mameluc. 



The journey into Abyssinia did not for a mo- . 

 ment quit my imagination. I met, at Siout, with 

 the most favourable opportunity for undertaking it. 

 A caravan of negroes were on the eve of departure 

 from thence in order to return to Sennaar, the 

 capital of Nubia, from v/hence I proposed passing 

 into the country of the Abyssinians. My prepa- 

 rations 



