DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.11638#0090
76 TRAVELS IN UFPEIJ.
rations were made. All my arrangements had been
concerted with the black chief of the caravan ; to
conclude, I was on the point of commencing this
long journey, when an incident happened which
obliged me to renounce it for ever.
The employment of Ibrahim gave him some
authority over the Nubians of the caravan. I en-
gaged him to use his credit to make a treaty for
my journey with the chief or Kabir; this is the.
name given in Nubia to men in power, from the.
Arabic word kehr, which signifies ^raz/. The Nu-
bian demanded at first an exorbitant sum. We had
several conferences at the house of Ibrahim, on this
subject, through the medium of the Maronite in-
terpreter. But the Kalir not choosing to abate his
demands, I quitted him without coming to any
terms. Some days after, this same Nubian came
to me at my own house : he was grown more
reasonable. His price, though he had diminished
it greatly, was still excessive : however, he wished
to speak to me in private. After having dismissed
every body except the interpreter, he asked me
with a great appearance of mystery if I possessed
any drugs which were powerful love-potions. He
assured me that medicines of this sort were alone
held in estimation in his country, where, said he,
every action, every thought, has a relation to the
pleasures of love; and that nothing might be want-
ing
rations were made. All my arrangements had been
concerted with the black chief of the caravan ; to
conclude, I was on the point of commencing this
long journey, when an incident happened which
obliged me to renounce it for ever.
The employment of Ibrahim gave him some
authority over the Nubians of the caravan. I en-
gaged him to use his credit to make a treaty for
my journey with the chief or Kabir; this is the.
name given in Nubia to men in power, from the.
Arabic word kehr, which signifies ^raz/. The Nu-
bian demanded at first an exorbitant sum. We had
several conferences at the house of Ibrahim, on this
subject, through the medium of the Maronite in-
terpreter. But the Kalir not choosing to abate his
demands, I quitted him without coming to any
terms. Some days after, this same Nubian came
to me at my own house : he was grown more
reasonable. His price, though he had diminished
it greatly, was still excessive : however, he wished
to speak to me in private. After having dismissed
every body except the interpreter, he asked me
with a great appearance of mystery if I possessed
any drugs which were powerful love-potions. He
assured me that medicines of this sort were alone
held in estimation in his country, where, said he,
every action, every thought, has a relation to the
pleasures of love; and that nothing might be want-
ing