yo |8—' ss TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
feemed as if a great many of them had formerly been det- 
tined as barracks for foldiers, of whom I did not fee above 
fifty on guard. The king was ina fmall room, not twenty 
feet {quare, to which we afcended by two fhort flights of” 
narrow fteps. The floor of the room was covered with 
broad fquare tiles ; over it was laid a Perfian carpet, and the 
walls hung with tapeftry of the fame country; the whole 
wery well kept, and in good order. 
Tue king was fitting upon a matrefs, laid on the ground; 
which was likewife covered with a Perfian carpet, and 
round him was a number of cufhions of Venetian cloth of (4 
gold. His drefs did not correfpond with this magnificence, 
for it was nothing but a large, loofe fhirt of Surat blue cotton 
cloth, which feemed not to differ from the fame worn by his 
fervants, except that, all round the edges of it, the feams; 
were double-ftitched with white filk, and likewife round the 4 
neck. His head was uncovered ; he wore his own fhort black ‘ 4 
hair, and was as white in colour as an Arab. He feemed d 
to be a man about thirty-four, his feet were bare, but co- 
vered by his fhirt. He had a very plebeian countenance, on 
which was ftamped no decided character; I fhould rather- 
guefs him to be a foft, timid, irrefolute man. At my co- 
ming forward and kiffing his hand, he lookedatme fora ° 
minute as if undetermined whatto fay. He then afked for 
an Ab) flinian interpreter, as there are many of thefe about 
the palace. I faid to him in Arabic, “That IapprehendedI - 
underftood as much of that language as would enable me 
to anfwer any queftion he had to put tome.” Upon which , 
he turned to the people that were. with him, “ Downright 
Arabic, indeed! You did not learn that language in Habeth?” 
faid he to me. I anfwered, “No; I have been in Egypt, 
I ? ‘Turkey, 
( 
