EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 241 
may be hazarded, feem firft to have opened the dired: commu- 
nication between Egypt and Fur. For many years their native 
countries, Dongola, Mahas, and all the borders of the Nile as 
far as Sennaar, which, according to report, are in all the gifts of 
nature much fuperior to Dar-Fur, have been the fcene of devaf- 
tation and bloodfhed, having no fettled government, but being 
continually torn by internal divifions, and haraffed by the in- 
roads of the Sha'ikie and other tribes of Arabs, who inhabit the 
region between the river and the Red Sea. Such of the natives 
as were in a condition to fupport themfelves by traffic, or by 
manual labour, in confequence emigrated, and many of them 
retired to the "Weft. Thefe people, accuftomed in their native 
country to a fhort and eafy communication with Egypt, and 
impelled by the profpedt of immenfe profit, which a farther 
attempt of the fame kind promifed them, opened the route 
which the Jelabs now purfue. But to return to CobbL — 
Some Egyptians, chiefly from Said, a few Tunifmes, natives 
of Tripoli, and others, come and go with the caravans, only 
remaining long enough to fell their goods. Others have mar- 
ried in Dar-Fur, and are now perfectly naturalized, and recog- 
nized as fubjedt to the Sultan. The fathers being no more, the 
children are in many inftances eftablillied in their room, and 
are engaged in the fame occupations. 
The remainder of them confifts of foreigners, coming from 
Dongola, Mahas, Sennaar, and Kordofan, who are generally re- 
marked as indefatigable in commerce, but daring, reftlefs, and 
feditious, (which confideration has induced the prefent Sul- 
I I tan 
