EGYPT, AND SYRIA. 301 
during ray refidence in Fur, and a battle took place between 
them, in which many fell on both fides : the monarch, to punifh 
them for their contumacious behaviour, fent a Melek with a 
detachment of about fixty horfemen, who feized on one half of 
the camels of every Arab, and where they found five took 
three, as the fifth could not be divided. The owners of fheep 
and goats pay a tenth. 
9. Every village is obliged to pay annually a certain fum in 
corn, Doktt, which is colleded by the king's flaves. The mo- 
narch has alfo lands of his own, which are cultivated by his 
flaves, and which ferve to fupply his houfhold ; for, though a 
merchant, he does not fell corn. The whole of the diftridt of 
Gebel Marra, to the Weft, is entirely appropriated to his ufe, and 
the wheat, wild honey, &c. which are abundantly produced 
there are all referved for his table. 
10. The king is chief merchant in the country, and not 
only difpatches with every caravan to Egypt a great quantity of 
his own merchandife, but alfo employs his flaves and depend- 
ents to trade with the goods of Egypt, on his own account, in 
the countries adjacent to Soudan. 
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