'444 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



fec"lly naked: he had half a yard of coarfe rag only wrapfr 

 round his middle, and a crooked knife fluck in it, I afked 

 him who he was? He faid he was an Arab belonging to 

 Shekh Abd el Macaber. L then defired to know where his 

 mailer was ? He replied, he was at the hill a little above, 

 with camels that were going to Yambo* He then* in his , 

 turn, afked who I was M told him I was an Abyflinian Have 

 of the SherrifFe of Mecca, was going to Cairo by fea, but wifh- 

 ed much to fpeak to his mafter,.if he would go and bring 

 him. The favage went away with great willingnefs, and 

 he no fooner disappeared, than Ifet out as quickly as pom* 

 ble to the boat, and we got her hauled out beyond the 

 fhoals, where we palled the night. We faw afterwards difr 

 tinctly about fifty men, and. three or four camels ;'the men 

 made feveral figns to us, but we were perfectly content with 

 the diflance that was between us, and fought no more to 

 kill antelopes in the neighbourhood of Sidi Abd el Maca- 

 ber. 



I would not have it imagined, that my cafe was abfo- 

 lutely defperate, even if I had been known as a Chriftian, and 

 fallen into the hands of thefe Arabs, of Arabia Deferta, or 

 Arabia Petrea, fuppofed to be the moll barbarous people in 

 the world, as indeed they probably are. Kofpitality, and 

 attention to one's word, feem in thefe countries to be in pro- 

 portion to the degree in which the people are favage. A very 

 eafy method is known, and followed with conflant fuccefs, . 

 by ail the Chriflians trading to the Red Sea from Suez to 

 Jidda, to fave themfelves if thrown on the coafl of Arabia* 

 Any man of confederation from any tribe among the Arabs, 

 comes to Cairo, gives his name and defignation to the Chrifr 

 tian failor, and receives a very fmall prefent, which is rer 



peated 



