Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 1 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 1 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773
Bruce, James
Egypt -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- History; Natural history -- Ethiopia; Nile River
It happened, that an intimate friend of mine, Mahomet Topal, captain
of one of the large Cairo ships, trading to Arabia, was a companion of
this Hussein Bey, and had carried him to see Captain Thornhill, and
some of our English captains at Jidda, who, as their very laudable
custom is, always shew such people some civilities. He questioned
the janissary about me, who told him I was English; that I had the
protection I had mentioned, and that, from kindness and charity, I
had furnished the stranger Turks with water, and provision at my own
expence, when crossing the desert. He professed himself exceedingly
ashamed at the behaviour of his servants, who had drawn their sabres
upon mine, and had cut my carpet and some cords. After which, of his
own accord, he ordered his kaya, or next in command, to remove from
the lodging he occupied, and instead of sending back my baggage by my
servant, he directed it to be carried into the apartment from which
the kaya had removed. This I absolutely refused, and sent word, I
understood he was to be there for a few days only; and as I might
stay for a longer time, I should only desire to succeed him after his
departure, in order to put my baggage in safety from the Arabs; but
for the present they were in no danger, as long _as he was in the
town_. I told him, I would pay my respects to him in the evening,
when the weather cooled. I did so, and, contrary to his expectations,
brought him a small present. Great intercourse of civility passed; my
fellow-travellers, the Turks, were all seated there, and he gave me,
repeatedly, very honourable testimonials of my charity, generosity, and
kindness to them.
These Turks, finding themselves in a situation to be heard, had not
omitted the opportunity of complaining to Hussein Bey of the attempt
of the Arab to rob them in the desert. The Bey asked me, If it
happened in my tent? I said, It was in that of my servants. “What is
the reason, says he, that, when you English people know so well what
good government is, you did not order his head to be struck off, when
you had him in your hands, before the door of the tent?”--“Sir,” said
I, “I know well what good government is; but being a stranger, and a
Christian, I have no sort of title to exercise the power of life and
death in this country; only in this one case, when a man attempts my
life, then I think I am warranted to defend myself, whatever may be
the consequence to him. My men took him in the fact, and they had my
orders, in such cases, to beat the offenders so that they should not
steal these two months again: They did so; that was punishment enough
in cold blood.”--“But my blood,” says he, “never cools with regard to
such rascals as these: Go (and he called one of his attendants) tell
Hassan, the head of the caravan, from me, that unless he hangs that
Arab before sun-rise to-morrow, I will carry him in irons to Furshout.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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