172 TRAVELS IN UPPER 



received in bis last conflict with Mourat. I did 

 not lose a moment in witiidrawing from the execu- 

 tion of a project which would inevitably have 

 proved fatal to me, and I took my departure for 

 Souhcijey where I arrived on the morning of the 

 30th. In the course of this day we observed the 

 same species of birds that I have just mentioned. 



The next morning I quitted Sonhaje on horse- 

 back, accompanied by two Arabs, after having left 

 orders that my boat should proceed to Tahia. I 

 passed through Kene, a village at the foot of the 

 western mountain, and under the dominion of the 

 Arab Scheick hmdin-Ahou-AVi. I saw in the en- 

 virons, under real acacias^ some guepiers *, beauti- 

 ful birds and rapid in flight, which are continually 

 in pursuit of winged insects. They were not in 

 the least degree wild, and as they hopped along, 

 they uttered a small cry, shrill, and only once at a 

 time. 



At Tuhta, where I arrived on the evening of the 

 31st, I resumed the lodging which I had formerly 

 occupied at the habitation of the Catholic Cophts. 

 Malliim Mourcous, the Copht, upon whom I had 

 performed an important cure, was at Cairo ; my re- 

 putation however was high at Talila^ and as soon 



* The Guepier. Biiffon, Hist. Nat. des Ois. Zc pi. enlum. 

 No. 938. — Meraps apiaster. Ljn. 



as 



