shore by all the Beys, with much magnificence. He mounted a horse, and they accompanied him on foot to a house hard by, where the Bafhaw commonly remains for fome days before he makes his entry into the city. He forms a wrong idea of the Turks, who imagines them to be rough, unpolite, and ignorant of what we term complaifance. They are far from wanting it. I received on this occafion, as I had often done before, feveral proofs of it. Several who knew us not, defired us to walk in, and we were politely treated by them. A De A Description of the MECCA CARAVAN T HE Caravan goes every year from Cairo to Mecca, about this time. The Bey's march from the city, is one of the most remarkable ceremonies of any to be seen in the Eaft. I had an opportunity of beholding it on the 10th of February. It began at eight o'clock in the morning, and went from a place below the palace, where all thofe affemble who are to go to a place without the city, where the Caravan hath its encampment. They obferved the following order on this occafion: 1. A number of spare camels faddled. 2. Six field pieces on their carriages, drawn by fix horfes. 3. Six Palanguins conftructed of grand filk hangings, which covered a foffa, each carried by two camels, the one behind the other. They are for the use of the Bey, and the principal officers on the journey. All the others must ride on camels. 4. About forty camels with provifions, and as many with ammunition. 5. A number of camels carrying water in leather bags, for whose support handsome legacies have been left by the former Sarracenian Sultans of Egypt, which ftill continue to be paid. 6. Beds for the fick, carried by camels, one on each fide. 7. Field mufic of drums, kettle-drums and hautboys. 8. A num ! ber ber of fpare camels with empty faddles, in no order, followed by a number of Scheks. 9. Six fine large led horfes, excellently faddled, out of the Turkish Emperor's ftable, which he keeps in Cairo, to ferve at grand ceremonies. 1o. The Bafhaw's chief eunuch (Kiflar Aga) with his flaves, above twenty, on horfeback. 11. A number of fpare camels. 12. A number of fine well-faddled led horfes. 13. The Commiffary of the Turkish Emperor, whom he keeps here to buy flaves of both fexes, horses, jewels, curiofities, &c. 14. A number of spare camels, adorned with oftrich feathers on their heads, and with fhells and pearls. On fome of them rid black flaves. 15. A number of Scheks on foot. 16. The officers led horfes. 17. The officer who hath the inspection over the water on the journey, and is one of the greateft, with his flaves in armour. 18. Two pair of kettle drums; a large one and a fmaller together. 19. A number of fpare camels, about fixty. 20. A troop of Pilgrims on foot, followed by fome Scheks. 21. A troop of camels laden with water. 22. Two pair of kettle-drums, followed by a number of well-dreffed camels in three troops, between each a pair of kettle-drums. 23. Two guides' riding on camels; thefe were old men, each holding a red enfign, adorned with green Arabian letters, in his hand. 24. A Cadi, who is one of the principal officers of the Caravan, and manages whatever relates to religion and juftice on the journey, followed by a number of enfigns of different colour: after which came a number of green enfigns carried by Scheks. 25. The Turkish cavalry (Spahi) in the fame order as at the Bafhaw's entry; but with this difference, that each troop was closed by a number of officers, flaves riding on camels, fome dreffed in black, others in white cloaks, and numbers of led camels camels with rich faddles, and covered with velvet houfings. 26. The Janiffaries on foot, intended to escort the Caravan on the journey, to the number of four hundred. 27. The Bey's two horfe tails and two enfigns. 28. The Bey's Secretary, followed by fome officers of the Janiffaries. 29. The Aga of the Janiffaries and Azapes, in his drefs of ceremony, attended by his flaves and ordinary guard. 30. All the Beys in ceremonial habits, with their officers and attendants. 31. The corps of the Azapes, with their officers in the fame order as before, with a number of Cuiraffiers on foot, armed in the ancient manner. 32. The corpfe of Janiffaries with their officers, preceded by a number of young flaves on foot. 33. Some officers of the Bafhaw's court, in white cloaths. 34. The Bey himfelf, who commands the Caravan, followed by Seven Kiaja, and his flave Cuiraffiers. On his right was carried a green enfign, which is the one that is by the Bashaw, in the Emperor's name, delivered him, to be hallowed, by touching Mahomet's grave with it; and he is enjoined, at the peril of his life, to carry it fafe backwards and forwards. It is afterwards fent over to Conftantinople, and is a great encouragement to all faithful Mufelmen, as they follow it without fear against their enemies. The Bey was a man of seventy years of age, rich and well esteemed, and was now a fourth time employed as conductor of the Caravan. 35. The treafurer of the Bey, with other officers of his court. 36. His mufic, confifting of a number of kettle-drums, trumpets and hautboys, closed by ten drums, all on camels. 37. I afterwards faw nothing, but an amazing number of Scheks (rulers of the church) divided into troops, and Dervices (who are the fame amongst the Turks as Monks amongst the Papists) all on foot. There were enfigns of different colours to each troop, fome green, others yellow, others red, and others white and red, &c. One troop carried long reeds, fuch as grow near the Nile, inftead of enfigns. I was told these were the fishermen of the Nile. The inventions these people had in their march were innumerable, and all ridiculous, giving them more the appearance of people that had loft their fenfes than of rational beings. All repeated in a high tone of voice, but without the leaft harmony, the Mahometan confeffion of faith. They all continually caft their heads backwards and forwards. They must either have ftronger heads than other people, or be well practifed, to be able to continue this motion fo long, without being affected with fwimmings. With each troop were fome that had disguised themselves in different manners. 38. The cavalcade was compleated by the camel that carried the pavillion, under which are fuppofed to be the carpets the Emperor fends yearly to Mecca, to cover the magnificent mofque in which Mahomet's tomb is. The camel was most magnificently adorned with feathers, ribbands, lace, falfe pearls, &c. and conducted himself in fuch a manner as to do honour to his office. The pavillion he bore was formed like a pyramid, about fix feet high, and covered with green filk, emboffed with gold and filver letters. Under this the carpets were fuppofed to be carried; they were not however there, but were packed up and loaded on other camels, fo that this had only the honour, without bearing the load. A beaft chofen for this occafion may certainly be deemed happy in comparison to others of his kind. After he has made this journey, he is kept in a stable during the remainder of his life, a pension being allowed for his fuftenance, and is ferved very carefully by feveral |