412 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
had been for charity, to be allowed to do my bufinefs, you 
would have been glad for my making no worfe figure to- 
night than I do with this carpet upon my head.” 
** My dear Strates, faid I, it is the fortune of war, and 
many princes and great men, who, at this moment I am 
{peaking to you, live in the enjoyment of every thing they 
can defire, before a month expires, perhaps, will be ftretch- 
ed on the cold ground, a prey to the birds and wild beafts of 
the field, without fo much as a carpet to cover them fuch as 
you have. You as yet are only frightened ; though, it is 
true,a man may be as well killed as frightened to death.” 
“ Sir, fays he, ina violent rage, that I deny, it: is not the: 
fame? a man that is killed feels no more, but he that- is 
frightened to death, as I have been to-day, faffers ten thou-- 
fand times more than if he had been killed outright.”— 
© Well, faid I, Strates, I will not difpute with you; I believe - 
they fuffer much the fame after they are dead ;: but you,. 
I thank God, have only loft your cloaths, and you are now 
moft comfortably, though not ornamentally, wrapped up 
in my carpet ;.as.foon as we get to Dara, you fhall be drefE 
ed from head to foot, by Negadé Ras Mahomet, at the ex- 
pence of the king, in better cloaths than you ever wore in. 
your life, at leaft fince I knew you ; only give me your gun. 
till your paffion is allayed; you know it is a valuable one- 
which I never quit.” 
He then gave me the gun fullenly enough ; and I con-: 
tinued, “I wall this very night prefent you with one of the- 
handfomeft Turkifh fafhes that Mahomet has to fell. Ifaw- 
him in the king’s houfe, with many new ones that he had 
procured, a little before Iwent to Emfras.” I-cannot pre 
: tend: 
