50 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
dagger. They wear a peculiar cap of a greenifh hue, around 
which is wreathed a turban *. The reft of their drefs refem- 
bles that of other Mohammedan citizens, and is reftrided to no 
particular colour : but another fmgularity is their large drawers 
of thick Venetian cloth, of a crimfon colour, to which are at- 
tached their flippers of red leather. On horfeback they add to 
their arms a pair of large horfe-piftols, and the Dtibbiis or bat- 
tle-axe. In battle many of them wear an open helmet, and the 
antient ring armour of interwoven links of fteel, worn under part 
of their drefs, and thus concealed. Thefe are dear, fometimes 
eofting five hundred piaftres, or about forty pounds. Some of 
them are made at Conftantinople, others in Perfia. Their 
horfes are of the fineft Arabian breeds, and are often pur- 
chafed at three or four purfes, 150I. to 2 col. fterling. 
They have no pay, as they eat at a table in the houfe of their 
mafter, the Bey, Cafhef, or other officer. Any military officer 
may purchafe a flave, who becomes ipfo faSlo a Mamluk. The 
name, from Malek to polTefs, implies merely a perfon who is 
the property of another. After a proper education, the candi- 
date thus conftituted a Mamluk, receives a prefent of a horfe 
* The Mamluks fuffer not the beard to grow till they be emancipated, and 
hold fome ofEce, as Cafhef, &c. — A fimilar practice obtains among the Ofmanli. 
The Ytch oghlans, though free in their perfons, yet exercifing a kind of fervi- 
tude, (have the beard : fo that though it be not abfolutely the mark of a flave, 
the want of a beard feems to denote a dependent fituation. Among the Ofmanli, 
(European Turks) the beard is allowed to grow rather in conformity to the pre- 
cept and praftice of the Prophet, than as a national faftiion. The Tatars wear 
no beard j and the Arabs alone fliew great refpedl to that ornament. 
and 
