THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 4S5 



From Mamah, Poncet crofled the Red Sea to Jidda, pafTing 

 the ifland Dahalac and Kotumbal,ahigh rock, the name of 

 which is not known to many navigators. 



Had old Murat, Mula, and Hagi Ah, happened at that 

 time to have been upon fome mercantile errand to Cairoj 

 there is no doubt but they would have been prefened and be- 

 come ambaffadors to France. They would have gone there, 

 perplexed the miniiler and the conful with a rhoufand lies 

 and contrivances, which the French never would have been 

 able to unravel; they would have promifcd every thing; ob- 

 tained from the king fome confiderable fum of money, on 

 which they would have undertaken to fend the embafTy in 

 any form that was prefcribed, and, after their return home^ 

 never been heard of more. But thofc worthies were, pro- 

 bably, all employed at this time ; therefore the only thing 

 Poncet could do was to bring Murat, fmce he was to pro- 

 cure at all events an amballador, . 



He had been a cook to a French merchant at Aleppo; 

 was a maker of brandy at Mafuah ; and probably his uncla 

 old Murat's fervant at the time. But he was not the worfe 

 ambaiTador for this. Old Murat, Hagi Ali, and Mufa, had 

 perhaps been alfo cooks and fervants in their time. Pru- 

 dence, fobriety, and good conducSt, Ikill in languages, and 

 acquaintance, with countries recommended thcmafterwardj 

 to higher trulls. Old Murat probably meant that his ne^ 

 phew fhould begin his apprenticefhip with that embalFy to 

 France ; and M. Pom:et, to increafe his confeqiience, and ful- 

 fil, the commiflion the conful gave him, allowed him to in- 

 vent all the reft,. 



Eon GET.,-, 



