8o TRAVELS TO THE EAST. 
all on foot. There were enfigns of different colours 
to each troop, forae green, others yellow, others 
red, and others white and red, &c. One troop car- 
ried long reeds, fuch as grow near the Nile, mftead 
of enfigns. I was told thefe were the filter men of 
the Nile. The inventions thefe people had in their 
march were innumerable, and all ridiculous, giving 
them more the appearance of people that had loft 
their fenfes than of rational beings. All repeated 
in a high tone of voice, but without the leaft har- 
mony, the Mahometan confeffion of faith, i hey all 
continually cad their heads backwards and forwards. 
They mull either have ftronger heads than other 
people, or be well praftifed, to be able to continue 
this motion fo long, without being affected with 
fwimmings. With each troop were fome that had 
difeuifed themfel ves in different manners. 38. The 
cavalcade was compleated by the camel that carried 
the pavillion, under which are fuppofed to be the 
carpets the Emperor fends yearly to Mecca, to 
cover the magnificent mofquc in which Mahomet s 
tomb is. The camel was moft magnificently adorned 
with feathers, ribbands, lace, falfe pearls, &c. and 
conduaed himfelf in fuch a manner as to do honour 
to his office. The pavillion he bore was formed 
like a pyramid, about fix feet high, and covered 
with green filk, emboffed with gold and filver letters. 
Under this the carpets were fuppofed to be car- 
ried ; they were not however there, but were packed 
up and loaded on other camels, fo that this had only 
the honour, without bearing the load. A beaft 
chofen for this occafion may certainly be deemed 
happy in comparifon to others of his kind. After he 
has made this journey, he is kept in a liable during 
the remainder of his life, a penfion being all owe 
for his fuftenance, and is ferved very carefully by 
feverai 
