628 . TRAVELS TO DISCOVER | 
room, the door of which opened to the lobby where his fol- 
diers or fervants were. There wasa flave very richly dref- 
fed, who had a {mall bafket with oranges in his hand, who 
came out at another door, as if from the Bey, and {aid to: 
me, “ Here, Yagoube, here is fome fruit for you.” 
In that country it is not the value of the prefent, but the- 
character and power of the perfon that fends it, that creates 
the value; 20,oco men that flept in Cairo that night would. 
have thought the day the Bey gave them at an audience: 
the worft orange in that bafket the happieft one in their life.. 
It is a mark of friendfhip and protection, and the beft. of all: 
affurances. Well accuftomed to ceremonies of this kind,. 
Ltook a fingle orange, bowing low to the man that gave it. 
me, who whifpered me, ‘“ Put your hand to the bottom, 
the beft. fruit is there,the whole is for you, it is from the-_ 
Bey.” A purfe was exceedingly vifible. It was a large 
crimfon one wrought with gold, not netted or tranfparent 
as ours are, but liker a ftocking. I lifted it out; there were 
a confiderable number of fequins in it; I putittomy mouth 
and kiffed it, in refpect from whence it came, and faid to 
the young man that held the bafket, “ This is, indeed, the: 
beft fruit, at leaft commonly thought fo, but it is forbid-. 
den fruit for me. The Bey’s protection and favour is more 
agreeable to me than a thoufand fuch purfes would be.” 
Tue fervant fhewed a prodigious furprife. In fhort, no- 
thing can be more incredible toa Turk, whatever his qua-. 
lity may be, than to think that any man can refufe money 
offered him. Although I exprefled myfelf with the utmoft 
gratitude and humility, finding it impoffible to prevail up- 
on me,.the thing appeared fo extraordinary, that a beggar ~ 
2. in. 
