49^ TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



or give him drink. About half a fcore of people broke in- 

 to Adelan's houfe in the night, with a view to rob and mur- 

 der us, but I was not at the pains to fire at fuch wretches 

 as thefe. Two or three fervants with flicks were all that 

 were needful. I underftand, indeed, that Shekh Adelan is 

 exceedingly difpleafed that I did not fire at them, and has 

 fent to the Gindi, ordering him to deliver two of them to 

 him to-morrow to be executed publicly before the door 

 of his houfe on the market-day. But this, you know, is 

 among yourfelves. I am very well pleafed none of them 

 are dead, as they might have been, by my hands or thofe 

 of ray people." K. " True ; but Adelan is not king, and I 

 charge you when you fee him to afk for Mahomet's life, 

 or a confiderable deal of blame will fall upon you. When 

 you return back, I will fend him to conduct: you to the 

 frontiers of Egypt." Upon this I bowed, and took my 

 leave. I went home perfe6lly determined what I was to 

 do. I had now obtained from the king an involuntary 

 fafe-guard till I fliould arrive at Adelan's, that is, I was fure 

 that, in hopes I might procure a reprieve for Mahomet, no 

 trap would be laid for me on the road. I determined there- 

 fore to make tlie beft ufe of my time; and every thing be- 

 ing ready, we loaded the camels, and fent them forward 

 that night to a fmall village called Soliman, three or four 

 miles from Scnnaar ; and having fettled my accounts with 

 Hagi Belal, I received back fix links, the miferablc re- 

 mains of one hundred and eighty-four, of which my noble 

 chain once confiHed. 



This traitor kept me thefewlaft minutes to write a let*, 

 ter to the Hnglifli at Jidda, to recommend him for the fer- 



vice 



