624 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
faith is fuffered to ride on in Cairo. The beaft had not a light load, but was ftrong enough. The diiEcuky was, his having no faddle, and there were no llirrups, fo that my feet would have touched the ground had I not held them up, which I did with the utmoft pain and difficulty, as they were all inflamed and fore, and full of holes from the inflam- mation in the defert. Nobody can ever know, from a more particular defcription, the hundredth part of the pain I fuf- fered that night. I was happy that it was all external. I had hardened my heart ; it was fl;rong, vigorous, and whole, from the near profpe6t I had of leaving this moft accurfed .country, and being again refl:ored to the converfation of men.
The mule on which the Sarach rode went at a very brilk pace ; my animal did her befl;, but fhe could not keep up with the mule. Each man of the foldiers, beiides the reft of his arms, had a quarter-ftafF like a watchman's pole, a- bout nine feet long, with which every one in his turn laid heartily on the afs to make her keep up with the Sarach's mule. I had every reafon to fympathize with the bcafl: for the feverity of the blows, of which I was a perfc(5t judge, as whether through malice or heedleflliefs, every fourtli ftroke landed upon my back or haunches, fo that my flelh was diicoloured for more than two months afterwards. Speaking was in vain ; you might as well have cried to the wind not to blow. Few people walk in the flreets of Cairo at night ; fome we did meet who made us way, only obfer- ving to each other, when we pafled, that I was fome thief j:he Janizary Aga had apprehended. In this moft difagree- ^ble nianner, I had rode near three miles, when I arrived at
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