EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 227 
inform me of it, or the fcheme would probably have taken 
efFe<fl, as I had certainly then no fufpicion. The villain on 
returning, after a few hours, and finding that the poifon had 
not produced its effect, vented his rage on the flave, and had 
nearly ftrangled her with a cord, when I interfered and forced 
him to leave her. The next fcheme was an accufation of 
debauching his flaves, which after a tedious inveftigation before 
the civil judge, and then the Melek of Jelabs, I was able to 
refute. Other attempts, planned with fufficient art, were made 
againft my life, which, however, I had equal good fortune in 
efcaping. 
In the fummer of 1795, I received the fecond payment for 
the property in the Sultan's hands, which confifted of female 
camels {na^a). The fame injuftice operated on this occafion as 
before. After all the other creditors of the monarch had been 
fatisfied, I was direded to choofe from what remained : two 
of which, as ufual, were allotted as equivalent to a flave, 
though of fo inferior a kind, that three would not have been 
fufficient to purchafe one. 
After having received thefe, I was preparing to return to 
Cobbe, when a melTage came to require my attendance on a fick 
perfon. The patient was brother of the Melek of the Jelabs. 
He was in the lafl ftage of a peripneumony, and I immediately 
faw the cafe was defperate ; but was forced to remain there 
with the fick man, adminiftering fuch remedies as his fituation 
permitted the application of, till he expired. Two guides were 
fent to accompany me home, but coming to a torrent that 
G G 2 crofTed 
