ri 6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



of Upper Egypt, each of which formerly had its particular- 

 prince. But his interelt was great at Constantinople, where 

 he applied directly for what he wanted, infomuch as to give 

 a jealoufy to the Beys of Cairo. He had in farm from the 

 Grand Signior almoil the whole country, between Siout and 

 Syenc, or AiTouan. I believe this is the Shekh of Upper Egypt, 

 whom Mr Irvine fpeaks of fo gratefully. He was betrayed, 

 and murdered Tome time after, by one of the Beys whom he. 

 had protected in his own country. 



While we were at Furfhout, there happened a very ex- 

 traordinary phenomenon. It rained the whole night, and 

 till about nine o'clock next morning ; and the people be- 

 gan to be very apprehenfive leaft the whole town fhould be 

 deftroyed. It is a perfect prodigy to fee rain here ; and 

 the prophets laid it portended a difiblution of government, 

 which was juftly verified foon afterwards, and at that time 

 indeed was extremely probable. 



Furshqut is in lat 26 3' 30" ; above that, to the fouth- 

 ward, on the fame plain, is another large village, belonging 

 to Shekh Ifmael, a nephew of Shekh Hamam. It is a large 

 town, built with clay like Furfhout, and furrounded with 

 groves of palm trees, and very large plantations of fugar. 

 canes. Here they make fugar. 



Shekh Ismael was a very pleafant and agreeable man, 

 but in bad health, having a violent afthma, and fometimes 

 pleuretic complaints, to be removed by bleeding only. He 

 had given thefe friars a houfe for a convent in Badjoura ; 

 but as they had not yet taken poffelTion of it, he defired me 



to come and Hay there, 



Friar 



