j 52 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



not either to hurry or diflurb me ; but the earlier to know 

 in what he could be of fervice to me ; that he had a particular 

 letter from the Bey of Cairo, in confequence of which, he had 

 difpatched orders to receive me at Efne, but as I had not 

 waited on the Cacheff there, he had not been apprifed. 



After giving coffee to thefe very civil mefTengers, and 

 taking two hours reft, our landlord the Schourbatchie ar- 

 rived ; and, about four o'clock in the afternoon, we went to 

 the Aga. 



The fort is built of clay, with fome fmall guns mounted 

 on it ; it is of ftrength fufficient to keep people of the coun- 

 try in awe. 



I found the Aga fitting in a fmall kioofk, or clofet, upon 

 a ftone-bench covered with carpets. As I was in no fear of 

 him, I was refolved to walk according to my privileges ; 

 and, as the meaneft Turk would do before the greateft man 

 in England, I fat down upon a cufhion below him, after 

 laying my hand on my breaft, and faying in an audible voice, 

 with great marks of refpecl:, however, Salam alicum ■' to which 

 he anfwered, without any of the ulual difficulty, Alicum fal am! 

 Peace be between us is the ialutation ; There is peace between us is 

 the return. 



After fitting down about two minutes, I again got up, and 

 flood in the middle of the room before him, faying, I am bear- 

 er of a hateiTierriffe, or royal mandate, to you, Mahomet Aga ! 

 and took the firman out of my bofom, and prefented it to 

 him. Upon this he flood upright, and all the reft of the 

 people, before fitting with him likewife ; he bowed his head 



4 upon 



