EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 205 
When I entered the court where he was fitting, he bad me 
welcome, and received with complacency a prefent which, in 
compliance with cuftom, I brought on the occafion. He even 
thanked me for it ; but expreifed ftrong furprife at my journey 
to Dar-Fur. I complained of the injuries done me, and he af- 
fured me of redrefs for the paft, and protection for the future. 
At the fame time it was clear that he efteemed the prefent a tri- 
bute, and conceived that perfonal fafety was more than I could 
reafonably expe£t. His conduct afterwards was a further proof 
of his fentiments : for though I remained at El Fafher^three en- 
tire months, I faw him only when I forced myfelf on his notice, 
and experienced no return of civility, much lefs any compenfa- 
tion for what I had already fulfered. 
During this time I was folicitous to attend regularly the 
levees of the Sultan, which are from fix in the morning till ten ; 
but could very rarely obtain admittance, and when I did had no 
opportunity of fpeaking. Whether the general prejudice againft 
me, or the machinations of my enemies, produced this pointed 
difregard, which, as was faid, a ftranger fcarcely ever experi- 
enced before, circumftances afforded no fufficient ground to de- 
cide. I fufpeded the former; but probably both had their 
lhare. 
On returning to my temporary habitation, a (bed, as was 
ufual with me on the fun's approach to the meridian, fatigued 
with heat, opprefled with thirft, and not without inclination for 
food, my repaft was commonly a kind of bread gently acid, 
moiftened with water. I grew acquainted with a few of the 
people 
