r.s^6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



plain their office and occupation. A Hybeer is a guide, 

 'from the Arabic word Hubbar, to inform, inftru(5t, or diretfl, 

 'becaufe they are u fed to do this office to the caravans tra- 

 velhng through the defert in all its diredions, whether to 

 Egypt and back again, the coaft of the Ked Sea, or the coun- 

 ,'tries of Sudan, and the weftern extremities of Africa. They 

 are men of great confideration, knowing pcrfeiflly the fitua- 

 tion and properties of all kinds of water to be met on the 

 route, the diftance of wells, whether occupied by enemies 

 or not, and, if fo, the way to avoid them with the leaft in- 

 convenience. It is alfo necelTary to them to know the places 

 occupied by the fanoom, and the feafons of their blow- 

 ing in thofe parts of the defert, likewife thofe occupied by 

 moving fands. He generally belongs to fome powerful 

 tribe of Arabs inhabiting thefe deferts, whofe protedtion he 

 makes ufe of to affill his caravans, or prote(5l them in time 

 of danger, and handfome rewards were always in his 

 power to diilribute on fuch occafions ; but now that the 

 Arabs in thefe deferts are everywhere without government, 

 the trade between Abyffinia and Cairo given over, that be- 

 tween Sudan and that metropohs much diminiflaed, the 

 'importance of that office of Hybeer, and its confideration, is 

 fallen in proportion, and with thefe the fafe condu(51: ; and 

 we fliall fee prefently a caravan cut off by the treachery of 

 the very Hybeers that conducted them, the firll inflance of 

 .the kind that ever happened. 



One day, fitting in my tent mufliig upon the very un- 

 promifing afpe^l of my affairs, an Arab of very ordinary ap- 

 pearance, naked, with only a cotton cloth around his mid- 

 ^,.dle, came up to me, and offered to condud: me to Barbar 

 .and thence to Egy2:)t. He faid his houfe was at Daroo on the 



fide 



