632 “TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
loft, or thought 1 had gone hometo the French merchants, 
and taken my bed there. — 
I was twice after this with Mahomet Bey, in which time 
I concluded the agreement in favour of the Englifh mer- 
chants. Inftead of 14 per cent, and an enormous prefent, 
the Bey agreed for 8, and no prefent at all, and at his own 
expence fent the firman to Mocha, together with my letter, 
a copy of which, and inftructions given in India i in confe- 
quence, I have here fubjoined. | 
Mr Greic, capt, Thornhill’s lieutenant, whom I have 
mentioned as having feen at Jidda, was the firft who.came 
down the Gulf to Suez in the Minerva, and in the whole 
voyage, both by fea and after at Cairo, behaved in a manner 
that did honour to his country. 
In the two fubfequent vifits which [I paid toMahomet 
Bey, I received the firman, and had a.converfation before 
the Bey with the man that was to go exprefs to Mocha ; not _ 
that I thought my recommendation was of, any confequence 
after his receiving orders from the Bey, but I knew very 
well, as diligence was recommended to him, that it might 
be fecured by a fmall gratuity given unknown to the Bey. 
Two other fimilar prefents, of no great value, were likewife ~ 
given to the two fervants who had aflifted me in procu- 
ring the firman, the original of which I left with the Vene- 
tian conful. Ithought it was unbecoming of me to ftarve a 
caufe that promifed to be both a private emolument and 
public benefit ; and, as | never expected, fo I never received 
the {malleft return or ack powied gement either public or 
private. 
ir 
