90 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
inftru<fted by matrons in what manner to receive the conjugal 
embraces, and the fame women remained in an adjoining 
chamber during this final ceremony, to lend affiftance if re- 
quired. The Oriental virgins marry in fuch early youth that 
the marks of their purity are feldom deficient. 
A curious circumftance occurred to mark the fyftematic rapa- 
city of the Beys, which could not be lulled even by fuch a fea- 
fon of feftivity. Ibrahim Bey, the father of the bride, having 
heard that a company of female fingers, who ufually attend on 
thefe occafions, had been employed in finging in Birket-el-fil, 
the chief open place in the city, not only during the day, but 
alfo moft part of the enfuing night, and had in confequence col- 
lected donations to a confiderable amount, fent for the lead- 
ing woman to his houfe. She, fuppofing that fhe had been fum- 
moned to receive fome reward, or that the charms of her voice 
had been made known to the Bey, readily obeyed the mandate. 
On entering the apartment, the firft queftion was, " How many 
half fequins {nusjiat) did you colled: yefterday ?" — She replied, 
*' About ten thoufand." — " Pay me eight thoufand, then," faid 
the Bey, " and I will give you a note of credit on Ibrahim 
Jeuhari, my fecretary." The money was paid, but the woman 
was turned out of the houfe without receiving any fecurity 
whatever. She is faid to have died of the difappointment a 
Ihort time after. 
Some negotiations took place that fummer between the Beys 
here, and thofe in Upper Egypt (whom I afterwards found at 
Ifna, attended by a fmall party of Mamluks) j the former were 
fo 
