74 
TRAVELS 
IN AFRICA, 
CHAP. VI. 
KAHIR A. 
Commerce — MatiufaBures — Mint — Cajlle and well — M'lfr attike 
— Ant 'ient mofque — Ant 'ient Babylon — Fojlat — Bulak — yize—' 
Tomb of Shafei — Pleafure-boats — Charmers of Serpents — Magic 
— Dancing girls — Coffee-houfes — Price of provifions — Recent 
hiflory of Egypt — Account of the prefent Beys. 
Before the revolution in commerce, occafioned by the dif- 
covery of the paflage to India by the Cape of Good Hope, that 
of Kahira was very extenfive. It has fmce gradually declined, 
and is now reftridted to the following articles. 
From Yemen are imported coffee, odours, gems, and feveral 
ufeful drugs. From Surat, and other neighbouring parts of 
India, muflins and various articles of cotton manufacture, a 
portion of the fpices of Ceylon j fliawls from Cafhmir. 
Kahira may ftill be regarded as the metropolis of the trade of 
eaftern Africa, as Tripoli chiefly polTefTes that of the weft. A 
few ilaves are brought from Habbefli (Abyffinia) by the way of 
Jidda and Mecca. Caravans pafs to and from Sennaar, Dar- 
Fur, and Fezzan, bringing flaves, gold-duft, ivory, horns of 
Rhinoceros, Oftrich feathers, gum, drugs. 
There 
