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648 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
Mauomert Bey being about to depart to give battle to his 
father-in-law, I thought it was no longer convenient for me — 
to flay at Cairo; I went therefore the laft time to the Bey, © 
who preffed me very much to go to the camp with him. I 
was fufficiently cured, however, of any more Don Quixotte 
undertakings. Iexcufed myfelf with every mark of grati- 
tude and profeflion of attachment; and I fhall 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?” Ifaid,“ No.” “ Have you no other trade nor 
occupation but that of trayelling?” I faid, “that was my 
occupation.” “ Ali Bey, my father-in-law, replied he, often 
obferved there was never fuch a people as the Englifh; no 
other nation on earth could be compared to them, and none 
had fo many great men in all profeffions by fea and land: 
I never underftood 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 pera: 
aians 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 fhip ready; and 
the day after, walking on the key, I was accofted by a. 
friend of mine, a Turk, a man of fome confequencé. He 
told me it was whifpered that the Beys had met, and that 
Ali Bey had. been totally defeated, wounded, and taken. 
“ Weare friends, fays he; you are a Chriftian; and this 
connection of the Bey with the Ruffians has exafperated the 
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