EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 247 
of their refpedive rulers, and various other accidental circum- 
ftances. 
The Fezzan caravan is under the beft regulations. The 
merchants from that place employ about fifty days in their 
paflage from Murzuk to Kahira ; which city they as often as 
poffible contrive to reach a little before the commencement of 
Ramadan, that fuch as find themfelves inclined to perform the 
pilgrimage, may be prepared to accompany the Emir of Mifr. 
The fale of their goods feldom employs them in the city much 
more than two months ; after the expiration of which, thofe 
who have no defign of vifiting Mecca return to their native 
country. The arrival of this caravan is generally annual. 
The other two are extremely various in their motions ; fome- 
times not appearing in Egypt for the fpace of two or even 
three years, fometimes two or more diftind: caravans arriving 
in the fame year. The perpetual changes in their feveral 
governments, and the caprices of their defpots, are in a great 
degree the occafion of this irregularity. The road alfo between 
thefe two places and Kahira, is often infefled by bodies of in- 
dependent Arabs, as that of Sennaar, by the Ababde and 
Shaikie, and that of Fur by the Cubba-Beefh and Bedeiat : the 
latter is however for the moil: part much fafer than the former. 
The departure of a caravan from Dar-Fur forms an important 
event. It engages the attention of the whole country for a 
time, and even ferves as a kind of chronological epocha. 
The 
