THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 37 



He offered me coffee and fweatmeats, promifed me his 

 protection, bade me fear nothing, but, if any body wronged 

 me, to acquaint him by Rifk. 



Two or three nights afterwards the Bey fent for me 

 again. It was near eleven o'clock before I got admittance 

 to him. 



I met thejaniffary Aga going out from him, and a num- 

 ber of foldiers at the door. As I did not know him, I paf- 

 fed him without ceremony, which is not ufual for any per- 

 fon to do. Whenever he mounts on horfeback, as he was 

 then juft going to do, he has abfolute power of life and 

 death, without appeal, all over Cairo and its neighbour^ 

 hood.- 



He flopt me juft at the threfhold, and afked one of the 

 Bey's people who I was ? and was anfwered, " It is Hakim 

 Englefe," the Englilh philofopher, or phyfician. 



He afked me in Turkiih, in a very polite manner, if I 

 would come and fee him, for he was not well ? I anfwered 

 him in Arabic, " Yes, whenever he pleafed, but could net 

 then Hay, as I had received a meffage that the Bey was wait- 

 ing." He replied in Arabic, " No, no ; go, for God's fake go ; 

 any time, will- do. for me." 



The Bey was fitting, leaning forward, with a wax taper 

 in one hand, and reading a fmall flip of paper, which he 

 held clofe to his face. He feemed to have little light, or 

 weak eyes ; nobody was near him ; his people had been all 

 difmiffed, or were following the janiffary Aga out. 



Hs 



