266 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



side, and about half a league distant from Sahet, 

 where I had so many disputes with the Mamcluc 

 who commanded there, and with the master of my 

 boat. This spot had almost proved fatal to me. 

 I found it in the most violent state of commotion. 

 Whole villages, taking advantage of the confu- 

 sion caused by the war, which was on the point of 

 bursting out in Upper Egypt, had broken out into 

 open rebellion, and refused to pay their tribute, 

 which, uncertain where victory would incline^ they 

 were apprehensiveof being twice called uponto dis- 

 charge. Several of these little colonies had taken 

 up arms to resist the Kiaschef oi Basjoura, who was 

 marchino; against them to reduce them to order: 

 that o{ Kelhe was among the number. Scarcely had 

 we set foot on his territory, when, deceived by our 

 garb, thirty or forty /^//^///j-, armed with lances and 

 sabres, fell upon us. We had advanced without 

 distrust, and were without the means of sufficient 

 defence to resist so numerous a force. I was reduced 

 to the only alternative which remained, to reason 

 with a people who are little susceptible of under- 

 standing the language of reason. However, after 

 having inquired why they treated as enemies a few 

 peaceable strangers, I perceived that they had mis- 

 taken us for the followers of the Kiaschef^ against 

 whom they were arming ; it was no difficult matter 

 to undeceive them, and they consented, though 

 not without some trouble, to release us. 



We 



