EGYPT, AND SYRrAirr ri57- 
Dar-Fur, by (he return of the caravan with which I came. ■ 
The Sultan Abd-el-rachman, defirous of gaining a name among 
the neighbouring princes, but injudicious and governed by 
caprice in the choice of the means, and ftung with the rage of 
conqueft, though regardlefs of the means of fecurity, fought 
for fome perfon to exhibit to him the European invention of 
artillery ; and though he had not yet been witnefs to its effedts, 
conceived that the poUellion of fome of the gold mines under 
Sennaar would foon be realized on his obtaining thefe power- 
ful engines. He wrote to the Beys to requeft they would 
fend him fome one from among their fervants, who might make 
him mafter of this important difcovery.. He alfo fought for a 
medical practitioner.. 
The perfon abovementioned had embraced Iflamifm, and 
pofTeffed fome ingenuity in mechanical operations, particu- 
larly the conftru£lion of artillery. He was not extremely at 
eafe in Kahira ; and Murad Bey, unable to improve his fitua- 
tion from the multitude of prior claimants, confented to his 
requeft for permiffion to depart. He gave him ftrong recom- 
mendations to the monarch, and a horfe, camels, and other 
requifites for the journey. Achmed commenced his route with 
eclat, having with him fifty or fixty artificers, who had enter- 
prize enough to encounter the difficulties of fo long a paifage, 
or who thought no change could rendfer their fituation worfe. 
He had alfo four pieces of brafs cannon, fix pounders. 
Thus an opening feemed offered to furnifh the people 
of Soudan with one more, at leaft, of the equivocal bleffings 
of 
