1 
8: TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
fuls and merchants are all near together, eaft of the cky and 
clofe to the fea. They aflbciate with each other, drefs and live 
as in Europe, and, unlefs by their mutual animofities, are per- 
fectly undifturbed. It is true, indeed, that the natives bear no 
very good charader for their behaviour to ftrangers, but, I be- 
lieve, when incivility has been experienced, it has generally 
firft been provoked : and the natives are, perhaps, at leaft as 
often the dupes of the Frank merchants, as the latter are of the 
native brokers and factors, whom their commercial concerns 
oblige them to employ. The command of the fort, and of the 
few troops which are in the city, is vefted in a Sardar, who is 
fometimes a Cafhef, fometimes an inferior officer of the Beys» 
The internal government is in the hands of the citizens. The 
chief magiftrate is the Cadi, an Arab, who receives his appoint- 
ment from Conftantinople ; the others are, the Shechs of the 
four fedts, and the Imams of the two principal mofques. 
Here it may be obferved, once for all, that the municipal 
magiftrates in the eaft are always of the facerdotal order. 
The revenues of Alexandria, under the Ptolemies, are ftated 
at 12,500 talents, which at 193I. 15 s. the talent, is little lefs 
than two millions and an half fterling. At this time it is 
thought that they do not exceed four thoufand five hundred 
purfes, or 225,000!. 
The commerce of Alexandria Is more confiderable than that 
of Damiatt. All exports to Europe, or imports from thence, 
are made at the former. The whole of the timber for houfe or 
fhip building is brought from Candia, or the Archipelago. The 
copper, 
