4<14i Browne's journey. 
advised him to embrace the first opportunity of 
returning to Egypt. The journey to Egypt 
was equally difficult, as the Sultan detained the 
caravans, while he attempted to negociate with 
the Beys of Egypt a monopoly of the Soudan 
trade. The Melek, however, promised to Mr 
Browne to exert his influence in order to ac- 
complish some of his plans, but, dying in a few 
weeks, all hopes from that quarter were frustrated. 
The Sultan still preserved the same aspect of in- 
difference and inattention ; reports were circulat- 
ed that he intended never to admit Mr Browne's 
departure from Darfur, and these seemed to 
be countenanced by the imperfect compensation 
of 120 piastres, which he received for the value 
of 7^0, the estimated value of the goods that had 
been seized. He sometimes was permitted to see 
the Sultan, but seldom to hold any species of con- 
versation with him. He attended, without effect, 
at a great public audience, where the Sultan ap- 
peared in great magnificence, seated on a splen- 
did throne, while an officer proclaimed, from time 
to time, " See the buffaloe, the offspring of a buf- 
*' faloe, the bull of bulls, the elephant of superior 
" strength, the powerful Sultan Abd-el-rachman- 
" el-rashid. May God preserve thy life ! O 
" master, may God assist thee and render thee 
" victorious !" These appellations bestowed on 
the monarch are similar to the titulary epithets 
