THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 635 



Copy of Mr Bruce's Letter to the Gentlemen trading to the 

 Red Sea from the Britifli Settlements Bombay and Ben- 

 gal. 



Cairo, \ft February^ ^111' 



GiNTLEMEN, 



AT the defire of feveral of the gentlemen trading to 

 Jidda in the year 1 769, 1 have fpoken to the Bey of Cai- 

 ro (Mahomet Bey,) that he would give permiffion for bring- 

 ing the India fliips direaiy to Suez, without flopping at Jid- 

 da,where they were conflantly ill-treated by thefherrifre,and 

 neither payments puna:ual nor their effears in ilifety. Ma- 

 homet Bey exprelTed all the defire poffible to have this 

 fpeedily executed. He difpatched this exprefs, in which I 

 iaclofe you the terms of agreement, with a tranilationfrom 

 the Arabic original. You will fee he renounces all prefents, 

 which, however, it will be always prudent to give. Mo- 

 derate ones will ferve, provided he behaves faithfully and 

 generoully, as 1 believe firmly lie will. He feeks 8 per cent, 

 cufloms, and leaves it in your option to pay this in goods 

 or money, and 50 patackas ancliorage for each vefi:el ; this 

 is for the captain of the port of Suez. 



" Arrived at Suez, you will do well to give notice to 

 any of the houfes you chufe to addrefs yourfelves to. There 

 are three French houfes of note here ; MeiL Napollon 

 and Co. Meii: Rofa and Co. and Meli: I'Angladc and Co. ; 

 and thefe three are rich houfes, in great credit, and with 

 whom you are very fafe. There is alfo an Italian houfe of 



4^2 credit 



