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peror, were seen by the before-mentioned Mr. Boenike, during his residence at Fez. Badia made in Egypt a very great figure. He had a large retinue, and lived splendidly, without hardly ever stirring out of doors. The Turks, who seemed to disbelieve the story of his origin being derived from the Abassides, and to doubt of his singular fortunes through life, were hushed to silence by the valuable presents he distributed to every one who approached him. He permitted himself to be visited by all the Europeans, although he was lodged in the house of a Sheik of the great Molgue el Azhar. His retinue followed him to Mekka; but he discharged the greater part of his servants at his departure from Syria. It seems that his journey was undertaken against the wish of the Spanish ministers, especially Cevallos, under the exclusive patronage of the Prince of Peace. If Spanish independence is once settled, the Cortez might be called upon to own Badia's papers, as national property; although their author may be known in Spain as a creature of the Prince of Peace. As an enterprizing traveller he certainly belonged to no party, but to his nation at large.

Mr. Boenike mentioned to me, that he had heard the Abyssinians talk of a country on their southern frontiers, where the coffee tree grows wild in the forests. He had likewise been informed that there was one Englishman, (probably Pierce,) and two Frenchmen, at the court of the king at Gondar.

There are no news from Mr. Seetzan at Cairo. There had been a report of his death contained in a letter from Mekka, but it has afterwards been contradicted. It appears that he has entered the continent of Africa, south of Cape Gardafui.

Last week, the official news arrived here of the taking of Medineh, in the month of November, by the army under the command of Tousoun Pasha, the son of Mohammed Aly. About four thousand Wahabees were killed, and several hundred of them taken prisoners; which latter are daily expected here, and are to be sent to Constantinople, in order to afford the capital a curious and probably a bloody show. The progresses of the Turkish army are less due to the valour of the troops employed on that occasion, than to fortunate circumstances. The Bedouins of the borders of the Red Sea, had been in the habit of drawing their supplies of corn and barley from Egypt, by way of Suez and Cosseyt.* Finding these supplies cut off, they had no other alternative than to leave

* The ships necessary for the transport of the army from Suez to Yambo, twenty-six in number, were all built at Boulak, the port of Cairo, and transported from thence upon camels across the desert to Suez,

the party of the Wahabees, and to join the expedition, or to starve. Other Bedouins were bought over by large presents and promises; several of the principal army chiefs married into the families of the most powerful Sheiks, and thus the tribes who inhabit the space between the sea and Medineh, were engaged to make common cause with the Pasha, although they had last year fought under the Wahabees' banners, and been the principal instruments in defeating the first corps of troops that was sent towards Medineh. The Shereef who commands at Mekka and Djidda, under the controul of Ibn Saoud, has been constantly wavering in his conduct. He, at one time, made some secret overtures to Mohammed Aly, and afterwards again supported the Wahabees' interests. There is but little doubt that Mekka will soon share the same fate with Medineh, nor is it supposed that Djidda will offer any serious resistance. If Mohammed Aly succeeds in accomplishing his conquest of the Hedjaz, and in keeping possession of that country, his ambition may probably lead him on to farther projects. His speculative genius will find a rich field in planning commercial schemes. Being, as he is now, the chief merchant of Egypt, he will in the same manner become the head trader of the Red Sea, and extend his commerce towards the Indian Ocean. It is to be apprehended that the possession of Djidda will prove detrimental to the interests of the East India Company. India produce will be smuggled by his ships into the Red Sea, as it is by the Arabs of Meskah into the Persian gulf, and may thus again find its old way by Alexandria into the Mediterranean. These suppositions acquire a great deal of probability, from the eager desire the Pasha shows, on every occasion, to extend his commerce; and the French mission in Egypt does its utmost to engage him to revive the ancient trade of the Red Sea.

In order to add a stimulus to Mohammed Aly's vigorous preparations for the Arabian campaign, the Porte has repeatedly promised him to add to his government the Pashaliks of Acre, Damascus and Aleppo, in case he should succeed in opening a free passage to the Mohammedan pilgrims. It is not probable that the grand Signor should really have the intention of giving up these provinces, to increase the power of a rascal, who is even now beyond the reach of his jurisdiction. But Mohammed Aly has already begun to quarrel with the Pasha of Acre. He certainly has his eyes upon Syria; and knowing, as I do, the state of that country, I am convinced that he would find much less resistance in invading it, than Abou Dahab experienced thirty years ago. His name, as deliverer of the faith and the holy city, which stands now as high as that of the Sul

tan, will operate powerfully in his favour. He has the interest of the clergy, and all the religious people. If he lives to pursue his plans, there is little doubt that he will succeed in creating a power in the east, which will divide the empire, and counterbalance the authority of the Grand Signor.

The conquest of the Hedjaz, however, may be found more easy than the keeping possession of that country, and of its communications with the harbours on the Red Sea; although Tonsoun Pasha has ordered forts to be constructed at every five or six hours march distance between Medinah and Gambo, the harbours of the Red Sea, where the army stores are kept. The Bedouins may again find it expedient to rejoin the Wahabees; the Pasha may become tired of feeding them with presents, as he does at present; the income of the custom house at Djidda, that is the principal revenue of the Hedjaz, may not be found sufficient to keep an army, of at least six thousand men, garrisoned in the holy cities, and as many more in the open country; the allegiance of the nations of the Hedjaz is doubtful, because they are much attached to the family of the Shereefs who govern them; the Pasha's son himself may take it into his head to declare himself independent of his father. In general, the conquests of Turkish Pashas are seldom of any duration; because, instead of endeavouring to establish their powerin the conquered province, upon firm principles, they employ their authority merely to extort money, and thus soon exasperate the country people. It must, however, be said, in justice to Mohammed Aly, that he has given proofs in Egypt of great skill and first rate talents, in securing to himself the peaceful possession of the whole country, which, for centuries past, had ever been accustomed to a rapid change of its masters. He does not extort money from any individual, and is very rigid in the execution of justice; but the people suffer by the monopolists. Every article of trade, as far as relates to home produce, is farmed from the Pasha, whose income thus increases together with the price of every thing. These farms, together with the corn trade, are the principal branches of the Pasha's revenue. Last year, corn to the amount of £600,000 sterling was sold at Alexandria to English merchants, and part of it shipped, for the Pasha's own account, to the ports of Spain. The principal farms of the revenue are: coining of money, (the person who is at the head of the mint, pays 15,000 purses per annum, to the Pasha, or about £360.000) soap, tobacco, silk, salt, natron, wood, **, cotton, wine, sugar, and many others. Even the camels' dung, which, in the East, is used instead of firewood, principally in the public baguios, has been lately

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farmed out. This mode of obtaining the revenue, although it may be a very eligible one for a Turkish state, and is certainly preferable to the system of avenizing individuals, which is generally adopted over the East,-this mode, I say, of course, pleases the rich people; but the poorer class, who, in other parts of Turkey, pay little or nothing to government, suffer a great deal, from the high price of the articles, even of the first necessity.

(The writer then speaks of his pecuniary circumstances and arrangements.)

In finishing this letter, I cannot but express to you, my dear sir, once more, the great sorrow I feel, at the total silence of the Association, in answer to the numerous letters I have addressed to you, during the course of the three last years. If I have incurred the committee's displeasure, (for I can hardly explain its silence otherwise,) I might, at least, be allowed to know how to re-[pair] my errors or my false steps. God knows that I never had before my eyes but my duty, and my engagements to the Association. My despatches, I am but too confident, may be found devoid of that literary information, which might have been expected from a learned traveller: but it will also be recollected that, in offering my services, I pleaded no literary acquirements to qualify myself for the committee's confidence. A certain degree of prudence, a good deal of patience, some enterprising spirit, and stout legs; these were the qualifications to which I pledged myself, and of which I wished to give you some proofs before I should enter upon my ultimate expedition. If the different journals which I have had the honour to transmit to you, have been perused in this point of view, they will certainly not be found prejudicial to the travelling character of a missionary into Africa, although they may be of comparatively trifling literary interest. The only paper which I conceive to be worthy the notice of a man of letters, is my description of the Bedouin nation. It contains many new facts, which few European travellers have ever had any opportunity to collect. If I may hazard a wish, it is, that this treatise of Bedouin manners may be put into the hands of an Oriental scholar, and be published as a pa-[mphlet,] or in the Asiatick Researches. The journals of my travels in Syria are certainly not fit to be ever published separately; but if ever any Englishman, of known talents, is about to publish his own travels in Syria, I wish he might be permitted to make extracts of these journals, and to publish a map of the country

south of Damascus, *** in conformity to my geographical ob

servations.

I repeat my demands for a letter of recommendation to Col. Missilt, at Alexandria. Nothing can equal that gentleman's kindnesses and attentions: but what is he to think of me, if I return from my present journey, in June, without having received any letters for him, which I had already announced to him from Syria?

I have the honour to be, with great truth and respect,

Sir,

Your most obedient humble servant.
J. L. BURCKHARDT,

P. S. I shall set off in three days.

alias IBRAHIM.

SECOND SUPPLEMENT OF NOTES TO THE TREATISE ON THE BEDOUINS.

Mode of Encamping.

To the south of the Zerka, down to the borders of the Red Sea, the writer never saw any other encampments but Dowars, in which the tents are pitched in a circle. This mode is chosen, because it unites the tribe better in one mass, than a square, or otherwise shaped camp would do; and it secures more effectually the cattle, which is driven, after sun set, into the circle, every Arab having his herd before his tent. The tent ropes are tied in such a manner to the posts on the ground, that they cross those of their neighbour's tent; by this means a kind of rope wall is conducted all round the Dowar, which renders it impossible for a rider to enter the circle in full speed. He must alight, and gently guide the horse across the ropes. This circumstance proves of great advantage, in case of a sudden attack. If a stranger arrives with his tent, when the Dowar is already formed, room is immediately made for him, and the circle is widened, in order to receive his tent. If he is a man of no character, and generally disliked, nobody moves. He is then obliged to pitch his tent beyond the Dowar, and to remain there isolated until the whole tribe again changes its place of abode.

Tents and Tent Furniture.

Among the Howeytat Arabs, the writer has seen tents, which he conceives an Aeneze Arab would think himself degraded by Vol. 1. No. IV.

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