Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/653

 THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 625

the Bey's palace. There all was light and all was buftle, as if it had been noon-day. I alighted with great difficulty from my difconfolate afs, but with much greater pleafure than ever I mounted the finellhorfe in the world. None of the people there knew what I came for, but thought I was fome Arab from the country. At laft I faw a Copht who had been a fervant of Ali Bey. I told him who I was, and he immediately knew me, but had not heard that I was ar- rived, and ftill lefs that I was fent for ; but he went in to the Bey's fecretary, who ordered my immediate admiffion.

In the mean time, my Sarach and company, who hadufed me fo tenderly, came round me, de firing the Bacfifh, or money to drink. " Look you, friend, faid I, your mafter knows me well, and you fliall fee what is the Bacfifh he will give you." A number of Turks Handing by alked, " What did he do to you ? Did he ufe you ill? Tell the Bey, and he will do for him." My friend ieemed to be fenfible he was in a fcrapc, and, though the order of the Bey came for my being admitted, he would not allow me to pafs, but put his back againft the door till I promifed to fay nothing to the Bey.

I WAS introduced to Mahomet Bey Abou Dahab. He was fon-in-law to Ali Bey my friend, whom he had betrayed, and forced to fly into Syria, where he ftill was at the head of a fmall army. He had been prefent with him the day 1 had my laft audience, when he was plainly dreffed as a foldier. A large fofa, or rather two large fofas furniftied with cuiliions, took up a great part of a fpacious faloon. They were of the richeft crimfon and gold, excepting a fmall yel- low and gold one like a pillow, upon which he was leaning,

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