490 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



the 2oih ; and, for feveral days iince Adelan's departure, no 

 provilions were fent to my houfe, as before was ufual. 

 Money therefore became abfokuely neceflary, not only for 

 daily fubfiftence, but for camels to carry our baggage, pro- 

 vifions, and water, acrofs the defert. 



I NOW defpaired abfolutely of affiftance of any kind 

 from the king ; and an accident that happened made me 

 lay all thoughts afide of ever troubling him more upon 

 the fubje6l. There are at Mecca a number of black eunuchs, 

 whofe fervices are dedicated to that temple, and the fepul- 

 chrc at Medina. Part of thefe, from time to time, procure 

 Hberty to return on a vifit to their refpedive homes, or to' 

 the large cities they were fold from, on the Niger, Bornou, 

 Tocrur, and Tombudo, where they beg donations for the 

 holy places, and frequently collect: large fums of gold, which 

 abounds in thefe towns and territories. One of thefe, 

 called Mahomet Towafli, which fignifies Eunuch, had 

 returned from a begging voyage in Sudan, or Nigritia, 

 and was at Sennaar exceedingly ill with an intermitting fe- 

 ver. The king had fent for me to vifit him, and the bark 

 in a few days had perfedlly recovered him. A proportional 

 degree of gratitude had, in return, taken place in the breall 

 of Mahomet, who, going to Cairo, was exceedingly defu-ous 

 of taking me with him, and this defire was increafed when 

 he heard I had letters from the fherrifie of Mecca, and was 

 acquainted with Metical Aga, who was his imme'diate 

 mafter. 



Nothing could be more fortunate than this rencounter 

 at fuch a time, for he had fpare camels in great plenty, 

 and the Arabs, as he paffed them, continued giving him 



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