DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4020#0106
94
TRAVELS IN EGYPT
We found his lordship seated in the middle of a field, exposed to all the
heat of the sun, and imployed in deciding a law-suit between two Barbarins, on
the subjedt of a camel. He had the look of a wolf, and he was dressed like a
beggar. An old napkin, which was formerly white, made his turbant; and
a red dress, still more old, scarce covered his body, which appeared naked
through the holes.
At my coming up to him, I saluted him in the ordinary manner; but
as he saw that I did not bring him any presents, he gave me no very gracious
reception. He did not so much as ask me to sit down. I did not forbear to
do it without permisiion, and I put into his hands the letters of the aga of Es-
suaen, and those which his son had furnished us with for money. He put the
latter into his turbant, but he read the others with a great deal of attention :
after which he turned himself towards those that were pleading, who seemed
each to imagine they should get their cause by the dint of noise. The fchorbat-
fchie sometimes intermixed his voice, and made himself so well heard, that it
could not be doubted but that he was the judge.
As this trial had the appearance of not being finished very soon, I ordered
the Jew to speak to the effendi, who was present, in order to engage the fchor-
batfchie to dispatch us speedily. The effendi had this complaisance ; and upon
the fchorbatfchie's hearing from him, that the Jew was my interpreter, he sent
for him and asked him, why I had not brought him some good present ? The
Jew, who underslood his business, replied, " You go too fast. What! do
you ask for presents, before you have done him the leasl service ? Go, shew
yourself his friend; and you'll see that he will pay you well."
This flattering hope made an entire change in the gentleman. He assumedan
air of mildness, began again to salute me, and let me know that we had nothing
else to do but to go to Derri, where he should be as soon as we; that there he
would talk to us upon business, and give us entire satisfadlion. At the same
time he ordered his son to conduct me to his country house, to shew it to me
and to send a sheep as a present to the barque.
B y this means I saw that place of pleasure, which I should be tempted to
term rather a (table ; and whilst I was employed in looking at it, my conductor
applied himself to chusing out of seven or eight she-goats, the poorest that he
could find. He succeeded in it, and had the satisfadtion to see all the domestics
approve his choice.
As we were returning to the barque, the Jew related to me on the way, that
the effendi, who was of Cairo, had expressed himself with a great deal of surprise
that we had dared to advance so far; adding, that we surely had not been well
advised; and that we might think ourselves happy, if we could escape safe and
sound. I pretended to give no attention to this discourse. A man is oftentimes
a dupe, if he trusts too much to what is said in the country. The interpreters
can sometimes make a stranger believe such reports, when he does not understand
the
TRAVELS IN EGYPT
We found his lordship seated in the middle of a field, exposed to all the
heat of the sun, and imployed in deciding a law-suit between two Barbarins, on
the subjedt of a camel. He had the look of a wolf, and he was dressed like a
beggar. An old napkin, which was formerly white, made his turbant; and
a red dress, still more old, scarce covered his body, which appeared naked
through the holes.
At my coming up to him, I saluted him in the ordinary manner; but
as he saw that I did not bring him any presents, he gave me no very gracious
reception. He did not so much as ask me to sit down. I did not forbear to
do it without permisiion, and I put into his hands the letters of the aga of Es-
suaen, and those which his son had furnished us with for money. He put the
latter into his turbant, but he read the others with a great deal of attention :
after which he turned himself towards those that were pleading, who seemed
each to imagine they should get their cause by the dint of noise. The fchorbat-
fchie sometimes intermixed his voice, and made himself so well heard, that it
could not be doubted but that he was the judge.
As this trial had the appearance of not being finished very soon, I ordered
the Jew to speak to the effendi, who was present, in order to engage the fchor-
batfchie to dispatch us speedily. The effendi had this complaisance ; and upon
the fchorbatfchie's hearing from him, that the Jew was my interpreter, he sent
for him and asked him, why I had not brought him some good present ? The
Jew, who underslood his business, replied, " You go too fast. What! do
you ask for presents, before you have done him the leasl service ? Go, shew
yourself his friend; and you'll see that he will pay you well."
This flattering hope made an entire change in the gentleman. He assumedan
air of mildness, began again to salute me, and let me know that we had nothing
else to do but to go to Derri, where he should be as soon as we; that there he
would talk to us upon business, and give us entire satisfadlion. At the same
time he ordered his son to conduct me to his country house, to shew it to me
and to send a sheep as a present to the barque.
B y this means I saw that place of pleasure, which I should be tempted to
term rather a (table ; and whilst I was employed in looking at it, my conductor
applied himself to chusing out of seven or eight she-goats, the poorest that he
could find. He succeeded in it, and had the satisfadtion to see all the domestics
approve his choice.
As we were returning to the barque, the Jew related to me on the way, that
the effendi, who was of Cairo, had expressed himself with a great deal of surprise
that we had dared to advance so far; adding, that we surely had not been well
advised; and that we might think ourselves happy, if we could escape safe and
sound. I pretended to give no attention to this discourse. A man is oftentimes
a dupe, if he trusts too much to what is said in the country. The interpreters
can sometimes make a stranger believe such reports, when he does not understand
the