5o6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



On the i6th, at half paft fix in the morning we left Sidi 

 Ali el Genowi, and a few minutes after palled two vil- 

 lages on our left along the river fide, not fifty yards from 

 the water, after which we went through the village of El 

 Menfy. The next to this were two tombs of Fakirs, nothing 

 different from the former ones, x^t a quarter paft ten we 

 arrived at Herbagi, a large and pleafant village, but thinly in- 

 habited, placed on a dry, gravelly foil. The people told us, 

 that the greateft part of the townfmen were at fome diftance 

 looking after their farms. Herbagi is the feat of Wed 

 Ageeb, hereditary prince of the Arabs, now fubjedl to the 

 government of Sennaar, whofe lieutenant he is according 

 to treaty. He raifes the tribute, and pays it to the Mek, 

 or his minifters, from all thofe Arabs that live in the diftanE 

 parts of the kingdom, as far as the Red Sea, who do not 

 pafs by Sennaar to the fands, in the feafon of the fly ; for 

 thefe, as I have mentioned, are taxed by the chief minifter, 

 or the perfon who hath the command of the troops of that 

 capital. The revenue arifing from this is very large, and 

 more than all the reft put together. The Refaa, one tribe 

 of Arabs who had compounded at this time with Shekh 

 Adelan, were faid to polTefs 200,000 flie-camels, every one 

 of which, at a medium, was worth half an ounce of gold, 

 each ounce being about ten crowns. The tribute then which 

 that Arab paid was 100,000 ounces of gold, or i,ooo,ooodollars 

 or 2 50,0001. There were at leaftten of thefe tribes with which 

 Adelan was to account, and at leaft fix times that number 

 that fell to the fliare of Wed Ageeb, whofe compofition is the 

 fame as that paid to Sennaar, befides whatever extraordinary 

 fum he impofes for himfel'f. There is alfo a tax upon the 

 male camels ; but this is fmall in comparifon of the others, 

 and the young ones pay no duty, till they are three years old. 



Camels. 



