52 
TRAVELS TO THE EAST. 
ALEXANDRIA. 
M AY the 15th, I rode out to fee the gardens 
of Alexandria, which were the fir ft places I 
faw after my arrival. I procured an equipage 
■which I had never ufed before. It was an afs with ( 
an Arabian faddle, which confifted only of a cufhion 
on which I could fit, and a handfome bridle. On 
each fide of the afs walked an Arab, and another 
followed, who took care to help me along. The 
beaft was one of the handfomeft to be feen of the 
kind, lively and well kept;. I here miffed the ad- 
vantage I had a fortnight before of riding on horfe- 
back. The great opinion Turks have of themfelves, 
and contempt for Chriftians, Jews, and Moors, are 
in Egypt very evident; of which this is a proof, that , 
they never permit any of the above-mentioned peo- 
ple to ride on a horfe, which they efteem too noble 
a creature to bear fuch defpicable wretches, an 
which ought only to ferve a Mufelman. A feV j 
Arabs or Moors, who are in fome efteem, lawyer* 
or the like, are permitted to ride on a mule. Th e 
Chriftians laugh at this foolilh behaviour, which lS 
only the height of ftupidity. Since cuftom has 
traduced the ufe of thefe creatures, they can fcarcely 
be deemed defpicable: but on the contrary, 0^ 
may in fome meafure be well fatisfied with this iff 
ftitution. No town has better conveniencies _ 0 
