EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 243 
plexion, and having a form of vifage more nearly refembling 
the European, with fhort curly black hair, but not wool. They 
are a well-fized and well-formed people, and have often an 
agreeable and expreffive countenance, though fometimes indi- 
cating (if fo much faith may be given to phyfiognomy) violent 
paffions and a mutable temper. Such are the inhabitants of 
Cobbe. South-eaft of the town, in a large open fpace adapted 
to the purpofe, a market * is held twice in the week, (Monday 
and Friday,) in which are fold provifions of every kind, and, in 
fhort, all the commodities which the country produces, or 
which are derived from Egypt and other quarters. Slaves 
however, though fometimes brought to the market, are now 
commonly fold privately, which is not unfrequently complained 
of as an evil, inafmuch as it facilitates the fale of fuch as have 
been ftolen from other quarters. The people of Barabra and 
Kordofan cannot relinquifh their favorite liquor, and as all who 
drink perfift in drinking till they are completely inebriated, the 
natural violence of their temper is increafed, and gives occafion 
to continual difputes, which frequently are not decided without 
blows, and occafionally terminate in bloodfhed. 
* In the market held at Cobbe, there are flaughtered ordinarily from ten to 
fifteen oxen, and from forty to fixty ftieep ; but all the villages, fix or eight 
miles round, are thence fupplied. 
It is ufual for the people of the town to lay in their annual flock of grain 
when cheapeft, which is commonly about the month of December. At that 
time two, fometimes three mids (pecks) of millet [Dohn) may be had for a firing 
of beads, worth about one penny fterling in Kahira. 
I I 2 
There 
