Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 1.djvu/260

152 not either to hurry or disturb me; but the earlier to know in what he could be of service to me; that he had a particular letter from the Bey of Cairo, in consequence of which, he had dispatched orders to receive me at Esné, but as I had not waited on the Cacheff there, he had not been apprised.

giving coffee to these very civil messengers, and taking two hours rest, our landlord the Schourbatchie arrived; and, about four o'clock in the afternoon, we went to the Aga.

fort is built of clay, with some small guns mounted on it; it is of strength sufficient to keep people of the country in awe.

the Aga sitting in a small kioosk, or closet, upon a stone-bench covered with carpets. As I was in no fear of him, I was resolved to walk according to my privileges; and, as the meanest Turk would do before the greatest man in England, I sat down upon a cushion below him, after laying my hand on my breast, and saying in an audible voice, with great marks of respect, however, Salam alicum! to which he answered, without any of the usual difficulty, ''Alicum salam! Peace be between us is the salutation; There is peace between us'' is the return.

sitting down about two minutes, I again got up, and stood in the middle of the room before him, saying, I am bearer of a hatésherriffe, or royal mandate, to you, Mahomet Aga! and took the firman out of my bosom, and presented it to him. Upon this he stood upright, and all the rest of the people, before sitting with him likewise; he bowed his head