6,2o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



great prefumption for me to name them." — " By no means, 

 if I can I will do it ; if not, I will tell you fo." 



I SAW by the Bey's manner of fpeaking that I had rifen 

 confiderably in chara6ter in his opinion fuice my refufal of 

 the money. " I have,- Sir, faid I, a number of countrymen, 

 brave, rich, and honefl, that trade in India, where my king 

 has great dominions." He faid, as half to himfelf, " True, 

 we know that." " Now there are many of thefe that come 

 to Jidda. I left there eleven large flaips belonging to them, 

 who, according to treaty, pay high duties to the cuftom- 

 houfe, and, from the didates of their own generofity 

 and magnificence, giveJarge prefents to the prince and 

 to his fervants for protedlion; but the fherrifFe of Mecca has 

 of late laid duty upon duty, and extortion upon extortion, 

 till the Englifh are at the point of giving up the trade altoge- 

 ther." " Ibn Cahaba, fays he, (which is, fon of a wh — re,) he 

 paid for that v/hen I was at Mecca." The Bey took Mecca," 

 fays a man at my flioulder, " Why, fays the Bey, when 

 they fay you are fuch a brave nation, why don't you beat 

 down Jidda about his ears ? Have you no guns in your 

 Ihips ?" " Our fliips, Sir, faid I, are all armed for war; flout 

 vefTels, full of brave officers and fl-cilful feamen : Jidda, and 

 much flronger places than Jidda, could not refifl one of 

 them an hour. But Jidda is no part of our dominions ; and, 

 in countries belonging to flranger princes we cany our- 

 felves lowly, and trade in peace, and never ufe force till o- 

 bliged to it in our own defence." " And what would you 

 have me to do ?" fays he. " Our people, replied I, have ta- 

 ken a thing into their head which I am fatisfied they 

 are well founded in : They fay, that if you would permit 

 them to bring their fhips and merchandize to Suez, 

 4 and 



