244 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



fectly naked: he had half a yard of coarfe rag only wrapt 

 round his middle, and a crooked knife ftuck in it, I afked 

 him who he was ? He faid he was an Arab, belonging ta 

 Shekh Abd el Macaber. I then defired to know where his- 

 mafter was ? He replied, he was at the hill a little above, 

 with camels that were going to Yambo. He then, in his 

 turn, afked who I was ? I told him I was an Abyflinian Have 

 of the Sherriffe of Mecca, was going to Cairo by fea, but wifh- 

 ed much to fpea-k to his mailer, if he would go and bring 

 him. The favage went away with great willingnefs, and 

 he no fooner difappeared, than I fet out as quickly as poffi- 

 ble to the boat, and we got her hauled out beyond the 

 fhoals, where we palled the night. We faw afterwards dif- 

 tin&ly about fifty men, and three or four camels ; the men 

 made feveral figns to us, but we were perfectly content with 

 the diilance that was between us, and fought no more to. 

 kill antelopes in the neighbourhood of Sidi Abd el Maca- 

 ber. 



I would not have it imagined, that my cafe was abfo-- 

 lutelydefpcrate, even if I had been known as a Chriftian, and 

 fallen into the hands of thefe Arabs, of Arabia Deferta, or 

 Arabia Petrea, fuppofed to be the moll barbarous people in 

 the world, as indeed they probably are. Hofpitality, and. 

 attention to one's word, feem in thefe countries to be in pro- 

 portion to the degree in which the people are favage. A very- 

 eafy method is known, and followed with conflant fucccfs, 

 by all the Chriftians trading to the Red. Sea from Suez to 

 jidda, to fave themfelves if thrown on the coaft of Arabia. 

 Any man of consideration from any tribe among the Arabs, 

 comes to Cairo, gives his name and delignation to the Chrif- 

 tian failor, and receives a very fmall prefent, which is re- 

 peated 



