EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 229 
beautiful, nor the lefs interefting, that though the change in 
their fituation could not be very important, their countenances 
were marked with defpondency. To thefe fucceeded five 
hundred oxen and two hundred large camels ; the whole pro- 
ceffion concluded with eighty horfes, and many articles of 
lefs value borne by flaves. Shouts rent the air, of " Long live 
el Sultan Abd-el-rachman el rafhid ! May God render him 
always victorious !" 
A fhort time after I caufed a petition to be drawn up, which 
was prefented by Ali-el-Chatib to the Sultan, in which I ftated 
my fufferings, requefted payment of what yet remained due to 
me, and permiflion to proceed on my journey to Kordofan. 
Though the perfon who prefented it was a man of confiderable 
weight, no anfwer was given. I therefore followed it up by a 
vifit in perfon, which I had refolved Ihould be my laft. My 
arrival was no fooner known, than I was direded as before to 
attend fome fick perfon. This I pofitively refufed to do j and 
it was many days before I could be admitted at court, for 
Fowaz, the Melek of Jelabs, was grown tired of his office. I 
therefore accompanied (nth December 1795) the Chatib to 
the monarch's prefence, and Ihortly ftated what I came to re- 
queft, which the former feconded, though not with the zeal that 
I might have wifhed. To my demand of permiffion to travel 
no anfwer was returned. But the generous and hofpitable mo- 
narch, who had received from me the value of about 750 
piafters in goods, and notwithftanding that my claim was well 
fupported, condefcended to give me twenty meagre oxen, in 
value about 120 piafters ! The ftate of my purfe would not per- 
mit 
