(548 YRAVELS XO discover 



Mahomet Bey being about to depart to give battle to his 

 father-in-law, I thought it was no longer convenient forme 

 to llay at Cairo ; I went therefore the laft time to the Bey, 

 who prefTed me very much to go to the camp with him. I 

 was fufficiently cured, however, of any more Don Quixottc 

 undertakings. I excufed myfelf with every mark of grati- 

 tude and profeflion of attachment ; and I fliall never forget 

 his laft words, as the handfomeft thing ever faid to me, and 

 in the politeft manner. " You won't go, fays he, and be a 

 foldier ; What will you do at home ? You are not an India 

 merchant ?" I faid, " No." " Have you no other trade nor 

 occupation but that. of travelling?" I faid, "that was my 

 occupation." " Ali Bey, my father-in-law, replied he, often 

 obferved there was never fuch a people as the Englifli ; no 

 other nation on earth could be compared to them, and none 

 had fo many great men in all profeflions by fea and land: 

 I never underllood this till now, that I fee it muft be fo, 

 when your king cannot find other employment for fuch a 

 man as you, but fending him to perifh by hunger and thirft 

 in the fands, or to have his throat cut by the lawlefs barba- 

 oans of the defert." 



I SAW that the march of the Bey was a fignal for all E- 

 gypt's being prefently in diforder, and I did not delay a mo- 

 ment to fet out for Alexandria, where I arrived without any 

 thing remarkable. There I found my fliip ready ; and 

 the day after, walking on the key, I was accofted by a 

 friend of mine, a Turk, a man of fome confequence. He 

 told me it was whifpered that the Beys had met, and that 

 Ali Bey had been totally defeated, wounded, and taken, 

 " We are friends, fays he ; you are a Chriilian ; and this 

 connection of the Bey with tlie Ruffians has exafperated the 

 ' 4 lower 



