138 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



ing in of the fruits: at the entrance of eacli vil- 

 lage, large heaps of them were covered with the 

 broad leaves of the palm-tree ; and it was to these 

 kind of markets, in the open air, that the people 

 resorted to supply themselves with the necessary 

 provision, or to buy them by retail. 



I arrived on the afternoon of the loth at Fars- 

 cJioiii, where anoiher colony of Italian monks was 

 planted. 1 was provided with the same recommend- 

 ations to them, which had been of so little use to 

 meat Echmimm, and I had a mind to know if they 

 would produce the same effect at FarschotU. I 

 had reason to expect it there, after what I had 

 heard Mr. Bruce say of these monks. They 

 were the same men who had refused him, v;ith 

 great barbarity, on his return from Semiaar, a 

 pound of rice and a morsel of bread. I left my 

 companions, with the cattle, without the city, and 

 I advanced by myself towards the house of the 

 monks. A servant refused to give me admittance, 

 under pretence that the father superior was asleep, 

 I urged him to take charge, at least, of the fetter 

 from the superior-general of Cairo; he would not 

 undertake to deliver it. Wearied out with so many 

 evasions, I tore the letter from his hands, and, filled 

 with indignation at an endless repetition of monk- 

 ish rebuffs, I retired in a rage. 1 sent one of the 

 countrymen, who followed me, to inquire for a 



lodging 



