THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 253 



till I was going away, when the youngeft of the Agas in- 

 quired, with a feeming degree of diffidence, Whether Ma- 

 homet Bey Abou Dahab, was ready to march? As I knew 

 well what this queftion meant, I anfwered, I know not if 

 he is ready, he has made great preparations. The other Aga 

 faid, I hope you will be a meffenger of peace ? I anfwered, 

 I intreat you to afk me no queftions ; I hope, by the grace of 

 God, all will go well. Every perfon prefent applauded the 

 fpeech ; agreed to refpeet my fecret, as they fuppofed I had 

 one, and they all were inclined to believe, that I was a man 

 in the confidence of Ali Bey, and that his hoftile defigns 

 againft Mecca were laid afide: this was juft what I wifhed 

 them to fuppofe ; for it fecured me againft ill-ufage all the 

 time I chofe to ftay there ; and of this I had a proof in the 

 inftant, for a very good houfe was provided for me by the 

 Aga, and a man of his fent to fhew me to it. 



I wondered the Rais had not come home with me; who, 

 in about half an hour after I had got into my houfe, came 

 and told me, that, when the captain of the boat came on 

 board the firft time with the two foldiers, he had put a note, 

 which they call tijkcra, into his hand, preffing him into the 

 Sherriffe's fervice, to carry wheat to Jidda, and, with the 

 wheat, a number of poor pilgrims that were going to Mecca 

 at the Sherriffe's expence. Finding us, however, out of the 

 harbour, and, fufpecfting from our manners and carriage 

 towards the janiflaries, that we were people who knew what 

 we had to truft to, he had taken the two foldiers a-fhore 

 with him, who were by no means fond of their reception, 

 or inclined to ftay in fuch company ; and, indeed, our drefTes 

 and appearances in the boat were fully as likely to make 

 ftrangers believe we mould rob them, as theirs were to im- 



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