624 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER. 
faith is fuffered to ride on in Cairo, The beaft had not a 
light.load, but was ftrong enough. The difficulty was, his 
having no faddle, and there were no ftirrups, 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 ftrong, vigorous, and whole, 
from the near profpect I had of leaving this moft accurfed 
country, and being again reftored to the converfation of 
men. 
Tur mule on which the Sarach rode went at a very brifk 
pace; my animal did her beft, but fhe could not keep up 
with the mule. Each man of the foldiers, befides 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 beaft for _ 
the feverity of the blows, of which I was a perfect judge, 
as whether through malice or heedlef{nefs, every fourth 
ftroke landed upon my back or haunches, fo that my flefh 
was difcoloured 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 ftreets 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 
the janizary Aga had apprehended. In this moft difagree- 
able manner, I had rode near three miles, when I arrived at 
I , | the 
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