EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 223 
of animals is frequently flaughtered on the firft day, the meat 
often remains to be devoured in a corrupt ftate ; which gave 
occafion to feme one to remark, that the feftivals of Fur refem- 
bled thofe of the Leopard *. The celebrity is alfo marked by 
a review of the troops. But as their equeftrian exercifes are no 
more than a clumfy imitation of thofe of the Mamluks, a more 
particular defcription of them would afford nothing new. They 
ferve however to charadlerife the mode of warfare, where vidtory 
is always the effed: of perfonal exertion. The monarch and his 
chief officers have fine horfes of Dongola, which they mount 
without fkill, carrying in one hand five or fix javelins, in the 
ufe of which they are adequately expert. 
During the fummer of 1794, five men, who had exercifed 
confiderable authority in fome of the provinces, were brought to 
El Fafher as prifoners. It was faid that they had been deteited 
in treafonable correfpondence with the hoftile leader (Hailiem) 
in Kordofan. They did not undergo any form of trial, but as 
the Sultan chofe to give credit to the depofitions that were made 
againft them, his command ifTued for their execution. Three 
of them were very young men, the youngefl: not appearing to 
be more than feventeen years of age. Two of them were 
eunuchs. A little after noon they were brought, chained and 
fettered, into the market-place before one of the entrances of 
the palace, efcorted by a few of the royal flaves, armed with 
fpears. Several of the Meleks, by the monarch's exprefs order, 
* It is not ufual with Mohammedans to eat meat in fuch a ftate. It is re- 
ported in Soudan, I know not how truly, that the Leopard, after he has feized 
his prey, leaves it till it become putrid before he eats of it. 
were 
