444 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
rived once in the fands, they were quiet during the rains,, having paid their paiTage northward, and fo they were after- wards, for the fame reafon,when they came again to thein own llation, fouthward, when thofe rains had ceafed..
It may be aiked reafonably, What does the governmenf of Sennaar do with thatirhmenfe number of camels which, they receive from all thofe tribes of Arabs in their pafTage by Sennaar ? To this I anfwer, That all this tribute is not paid in kind. The different tribes poffeffing fo many ca- mels, or fo many other cattle, have a quantum laid upon them at an average value. This is paid in gold, or in., flaves, the reft in kind ; fo many for the maintenance of the king and government ; for there is no flefh commonly ufed, at Sennaar in the markets but that of camels. The refidue is bought by the merchants o£ Dongola, and fent into. ^gypf> where they fupply that great confumption of. thefe animals made every year by the caravans going to- Mecca.
One thing had made a very ftrong impreffion on nic, which was the contemptuous manner in which Adelan ex- preffed himfelf as to his fovereign. I was fatisfied that with fomc addrefs, I could keep myfelf in favour with either- of them ; but in the terms they then were, or were very foon to be, I could not but fear I was likely to fall into trou- ble between the two.,
The next morning, after I came home from Aira, I was agreeably furprifed by a vifit from Hagi Belal, to whom I had been recommended by Metical Aga, and to vv'hom Ibra- kim SerafF, the Englilli broker at Jidda, had addreffedme for
any
