DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5295#0288
252 TRAVELS IN EGYPT, NUBIA,
clothes, lived well, and kept up their houses and establish-
ments ; they considered this unjust, and described the state
to which a bankrupt was reduced in their country, where, till
the last mite was paid, a creditor could at any distance of
time take the clothes his debtor wore. They could not be
persuaded, that in a great commercial nation such a law
would be attended with ill effects. They described lending
money at interest as contrary to their religion ; and mentioned
that they had narrowly escaped great loss, by taking bills for
their money from Christians, in the countries they had traded
with, on correspondents in other countries, who they after-
wards found were known to be on the point of failure.
They spoke with respect of their Sultan, Avho was a de-
vout man, peaceably inclined; but who, if attacked, could
command the service of the whole population of his domi-
nions. On this account, without at all undervaluing the dis-
cipline of European armies, they thought it impossible to be
successfully invaded. Their Sultan administered justice him-
self, received petitions from the meanest peasants, and heard
them with patience. They said there was a regular inter-
course with Tombuctoo from the south-eastern confines of
Morocco, whence caravans performed the journey in a month.
The safety of a European might be secured by confiding in
the chief of the caravan, reserving the reward for safe con-
duct till the traveller returned; of course presuming that he
clothes, lived well, and kept up their houses and establish-
ments ; they considered this unjust, and described the state
to which a bankrupt was reduced in their country, where, till
the last mite was paid, a creditor could at any distance of
time take the clothes his debtor wore. They could not be
persuaded, that in a great commercial nation such a law
would be attended with ill effects. They described lending
money at interest as contrary to their religion ; and mentioned
that they had narrowly escaped great loss, by taking bills for
their money from Christians, in the countries they had traded
with, on correspondents in other countries, who they after-
wards found were known to be on the point of failure.
They spoke with respect of their Sultan, Avho was a de-
vout man, peaceably inclined; but who, if attacked, could
command the service of the whole population of his domi-
nions. On this account, without at all undervaluing the dis-
cipline of European armies, they thought it impossible to be
successfully invaded. Their Sultan administered justice him-
self, received petitions from the meanest peasants, and heard
them with patience. They said there was a regular inter-
course with Tombuctoo from the south-eastern confines of
Morocco, whence caravans performed the journey in a month.
The safety of a European might be secured by confiding in
the chief of the caravan, reserving the reward for safe con-
duct till the traveller returned; of course presuming that he