624 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



faith is fuffered to ride on in Cairo. The beaft had not a 

 light load, but was ftrong enough. The diiEcuky was, his 

 having no faddle, and there were no llirrups, fo that my 

 feet would have touched the ground had I not held them 

 up, which I did with the utmoft pain and difficulty, as they 

 were all inflamed and fore, and full of holes from the inflam- 

 mation in the defert. Nobody can ever know, from a more 

 particular defcription, the hundredth part of the pain I fuf- 

 fered that night. I was happy that it was all external. I 

 had hardened my heart ; it was fl;rong, vigorous, and whole, 

 from the near profpe6t I had of leaving this moft accurfed 

 .country, and being again refl:ored to the converfation of 

 men. 



The mule on which the Sarach rode went at a very brilk 

 pace ; my animal did her befl;, but fhe could not keep up 

 with the mule. Each man of the foldiers, beiides the reft 

 of his arms, had a quarter-ftafF like a watchman's pole, a- 

 bout nine feet long, with which every one in his turn laid 

 heartily on the afs to make her keep up with the Sarach's 

 mule. I had every reafon to fympathize with the bcafl: for 

 the feverity of the blows, of which I was a perfc(5t judge, 

 as whether through malice or heedleflliefs, every fourtli 

 ftroke landed upon my back or haunches, fo that my flelh 

 was diicoloured for more than two months afterwards. 

 Speaking was in vain ; you might as well have cried to the 

 wind not to blow. Few people walk in the flreets of Cairo 

 at night ; fome we did meet who made us way, only obfer- 

 ving to each other, when we pafled, that I was fome thief 

 j:he Janizary Aga had apprehended. In this moft difagree- 

 ^ble nianner, I had rode near three miles, when I arrived at 



J - the 



