592 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Idris, without arms, having joined the man who had ad- 

 vanced towards us, went down with him to the body of 

 llrangers, and the treaty was foon agreed to. Two of the 

 principal men among them approaching me without their 

 lances, and the compHment of peace, " Salam Ahcum ! and 

 AUcum Salam !" was given and return-cd by both fides. 

 They feemed, however, llartled at feeing the Bifliareen with 

 both his hands chained ; but I told them, that had no re- 

 gard to them, and defired Idris to order their camels to go 

 on; and one of the Barbarins in the meantime brought them 

 a gourd full of water, and bread, for eating together is like 

 pledging your faith. They had not heard of the fate of 

 Mahomet Aga, and feemed very ill-pleafed at it, faying, that 

 Aboil Bertran was a thief and a murderer. All the camels 

 being paft, I aflced them whither they were going ? They 

 faid to Atbieh, weft of Terfowey, to gather fenna for the 

 government of Cairo. I would very fain have had them to 

 -fell or exchange with me a couple of camels. They faid 

 theirs were not ftrong ; that before they could reach home 

 they would be much in the fame condition with our own ; 

 that they were obliged to load them very heavily, as indeed 

 the bags they had behind them to carry the lenna feem- 

 ed to indicate their profit was but fmall, fb that the death 

 of one camel was a moft ferious lofs, 



I THOUGHT myfelf obliged in humanity to introduce our 

 prlfoner to the two Ababde that had remained with us. 

 They faid, they intended to take water at Terfowey, and we 

 told them briefly the accident by which we came in com- 

 pany with the Bifliareen. They, on the contrary, though-t 

 that we had been a party of foldiers from Afibuan who ap- 

 prehended the Arab. Immediately after which they con- 

 ^ verfed 



