THE EGYPTIAN SUDAN diligence in the study of the Arabic language, and of those branches of science which would be of use to him in his future work. He attended lectures on chemistry, astronomy, mineralogy, medicine and surgery, and in the intervals of his studies he exercised himself by long journeys on foot, bareheaded, in the heat of the sun, sleeping upon the ground, and living upon vegetables and water.i In March, 1809, he sailed from England and proceeded to Aleppo, and he remained in Syria for two and a half years ; he was known as " Ibrahim ibn 'Abd-Allah," a name which he had adopted first at Malta, and to which the title "aggi " ~ afterwards became prefixed. His stay in Syria added greatly to his knowledge of the Arabic language, and here he obtained the deep insight into Oriental manners and customs and character for which he v/as afterwards so famous. He left Aleppo in February, 1812, and arrived in Cairo on September 4th, and in the November following he wrote to the Committee of the Association informing them that he intended to set out for Nubia in December. He says, *' That country, further up than Derr, has never been " visited by any travellers ; yet I am informed by many of the "natives, that the borders of the river are full of ancient temples " and other antiquities ; resembling those of Luxor, and the " Isle of Philae. The present tranquil state of Egypt renders " such a ' voyage of much less danger than it might have been "during the whole of the last century; for the Pasha is " completely master of the country, and is in friendly inter-" course with the princes of Nubia. Were it not for the " Mamlouks who have settled at Dongola, and taken possession " of the country, I might hope to reach that point. But I shall " not expose myself to their treachery, and shall be contented " with approaching to within a journey of five or six days from " Dongola, and with making perhaps some lateral excursions " into the Nubian Desert."

Burckhardt left Cairo on January nth, 1813, and arrived at ' Travels in Nubia by the late John Lewis Burckhardt, London, 1822, p. v.

- " Hagg," or " aggi," is a title bestowed upon those who have visited Mekka.

' Travels in Nubia, p. liii.

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