top o f her nofe, and between her eye-brows, fhe had a fmall
fpeck made o f cohol or antimony, four-corner’d, and o f the
fize o f the fmalleft patches our women ufed to wear ; another
rather longer upon the top o f her nofe, and one on the
middle o f her chin.
Sittina. 1 Tell me what you would fay to trie as a phyfi-
cian.”— Ya. “ It was, Madam, but in confequence o f your
difcourfe yefterday. That heavy gold cap with which you
prefs your hair will certainly be the caufe o f a great part
o f it fallin g off.” Silt. “ I-believe fo; but I ihould catch cold,
I am fo accuftomed to it, i f I was to leave it oiF. Are you a
man o f name and family in your own country ?” Ya. “ Of
both, Madam.” Sitt. “ Are the women handfome there ?”
Ya. “ The handfomeft in the world, Madam; but they are
fo good, and fo excellent in all other refpefts, that nobody
thinks at all o f their beauty, nor do they value themfelves
upon it.” Sitt. “ And do they allow you to kifs their hands?”
Ya. “ I underiland you, Madam, though you have miftaken
me. There is no familiarity in killin g hands, it is a mark
o f homage, and diftant refpeft paid in my country to our
fovereigns, and to none earthly befides.” Sitt.*“ Oyes! but
the kings.” Ya. “ Yes, and the queens, too, always on the
knee,Madam; I faidour fovereigns,meaning both k in g and
queen. On her part it is a mark o f gracious condefcenfion,
in favour o f rank, merit, and honourable behaviour; it is a
reward for dangerous and difficult fervices, above all other
compenfation.” Sitt. But do you know that no man ever
killed my hand but you?” Ya. “ It is impoffible I ihould
know that, nor is it material. Of this lam confident, it
was meant refpeftfully, cannot hurt you, and ought not to
offend
offend you.”- Sitt. “ It certainly has done neither, but I wifli
very much Idris my fon would come and fee you, as it is
on his account I dreffed my felf to-day.” Ya. “ I hope, Madam,
when I do fee him he will think o f fome way o f forwarding
me fafely to Barbar, in my way to Egypt.” ' Sitt.
“ Safely! God forgive y o u ! you are throwing yourfelf away
wantonly. Idris himfelf, k in g o f this country, dares not undertake
fuch a journey. But why did not you go along with
Mahomet Towaih? He fet out only a few days ago for Cairo,
the fame way you are going, and has, I believe, taken all
the Hybeers with him. Go call the porter”, fays Ihe to her
Have. When the porter came, “ Do you know i f Mahomet
Towaih is gone to Egypt ?” “ I know he is gone to Barbar;.
fays the porter, the two Mahomets, and Abd el Jelleel, the
Biffiareen, are with him.” “ Why did he take all the Hybeers?”
fays Sittina. “ The men were tired and difcoura-
ged, anfwered the porter, by their late ill-ufage from the
Cubba-beeffi, and, being ftripped o f every thing, they wanted
to be at home.” Sitt. “ Somebody'elfe w ill offer, but
you muff not go without a good man with you; 1 will not
fuffer you. Thefe Biffiareen are people known here, and
may be trailed; but while you ftay let me fee you every day,
and if you .want any thing, fend by a fervant o f mine. It
is a tax, I know, improperly laid upon a man lik e you-, to
alk for every necefiary, but Idris will be here, and lie w ill
provide you better.” I went away upon this eonverfation,.
and foon found, that Mahomet Towaih had fo well followed
the direftion o f the Mek o f Sennaar, as to take all the H ybeers
o f note with him on purpofe to difappoint me.
T his being the firft time I have had occafion to mention'.
ffiis ufeful fet o f men, it will, be neceffary I Ihould here explain'.