404 TRAVELS IN AFRICA, 
[borras). The inquiries I had occafion to make tended to 
prove, that if the difeafe were not too far advanced, it was 
always flopped in its progrefs, while the patient remained 
there. 
The whole expenfe of the facred caravan from Damafeus to 
Mecca ufed formerly to amount to four thoufand five hundred 
purfes, and an increafe has fmce taken place. The Pafha 
carries with him, exclufively of this, one thoufand purfes for 
his own ufe. Jezzar was accuftomed to take two thoufand 
for the purpofe of buying coffee, which he refold to vafl ad- 
vantage. The 4500 purfes are deduded from the imperial 
treafury [cbqfne)^ and the Pafha is rendered accountable for the 
fafety of the caravan. He receives the Senjiak Sherifj, or 
Enfign of the Prophet, from the governor of the caflle, giving 
an acknowlegement in writing, before witneffes, in which he 
folemnly pledges himfelf to bring it back. Similar forms are 
obferved on refloring it to its place. As foon as the Pafha 
arrives near the city on his return, a meffenger is difpatched to 
Conftantinople, who is obliged to perform the journey in 
twenty-five days. He carries water from the famous well 
Zem-zem, near Mecca, and fome dates from Medine, which 
are prefented to the Emperor on his vifit to the mofque. After 
this, the Wizir prefents a lift of the Pafhas for the enfuing 
year; the Sultan reads it, and if he obje£t to any name, 
affixes to it a mark, after which the firmans are made out in 
due form. 
