^66 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



the earth), in this cafe, Alexandria being fuppofed to lye in 

 long. 30°, Syene miifl: be in 30° likevvife ; but Gooz being in 

 34°, it is impoflible that Syene can be within a trifle north 

 of Gooz ; and therefore we mufl have a much greater quan- 

 tity of welling to travel than Idris the Hybeer imagines, 

 who places Syene a very little weft of the meridian of 

 Gooz, or immediately under the fame meridian, and due 

 north from it 



Our cajnels were always chained by the feet, and the 

 chain fccured by a padlock, left they fliould wander in the 

 night, or be liable to be ftolen and carried off. Mufmg 

 then upon the geographical difficulties juft mentioned, and 

 gazing before me, without any particular intention or fuf- 

 picion, I heard the chain of the camels clink, as if fome- 

 body was unloofmg them, and then, at the end of the gleam 

 made by the fire, I law diftinctly a; man pafs fwiftly by, Hoop- 

 ing as he went along, his face almoll to the ground. A lit- 

 tle time after this I heard another clink of the chain, as if 

 from a pretty fharp blow, and immediately after a move- 

 ment among the camels. I then rofe, and cried in a threaten- 

 ing tone, in Arabic, *' I charge you on your life, whoever 

 you are, either come up to me dire(5lly, or keep at a diftancc 

 till day, but come that way no more; why fliould you throw 

 your life away?" In a minute after, he repafTed in the fhade 

 among the trees, pretty much in the manner he had done 

 before. As I was on guard between the baggage and the 

 camels, I was confequently armed, and advanced deliberate- 

 ly fomc fteps, as far as the light of the fire fhone, on purpofe 

 to difcovcr how many they were, and was ready to fire up- 

 on the next I faw. " If you are an honeft man, cried I aloud, 

 and want any thing, come up to the fire and fear not, I am 

 I alone ; 



