Arriving at Cairo, I went to the khan called the khan of Mesrour, and there took lodgings, with a warehouse for my bales, which I brought along upon camels:  this done, I retired to my chamber to rest myself after the fatigue of my journey, after ordering my servants to buy some provisions, and dress them; After I had eaten, I went and saw the castle, some mosques, public places, and other things that were curious.  Next day I dressed myself handsomely, and ordered some of the finest and richest of my bales to be selected, and carried by my slaves to the Circassian bezestein [Footnote:  A bezestcin is a public place, where silk; stuffs and other precious things are exposed to sale.], whither I went myself.  I no sooner got thither than I was surrounded by brokers and criers who had heard of my arrival.  I gave patterns of my stuffs to several of the criers, who carried and showed them all over the bezestein; but none of the merchants offered nearly so much as prime cost and carriage.  This vexed me, and the criers observing I was dissatisfied, If you will take our advice, said they, we will put you in a way of selling your stuffs without losing by them.  The brokers and criers having thus promised to put me in a way of losing nothing by my goods, I asked them what course they would have me take?  Divide your goods, said they, among several merchants, and they will sell them by retail; and twice a week, that is, on Mondays and Tuesdays, you may receive what money they take:  by this means you will gain instead of losing, and the merchants will gain by you:  in the mean time, you will have time to take your pleasure, and walk up and down the town, or to go upon the Nile.  I took their advice, and carried them to my warehouse, from whence I brought all my goods to the bezestein, and divided them among the merchants, whom they represented as most reputable and able to pay:  the merchants gave me a formal receipt before witnesses, stipulating withal that I should not make any demands upon them for the first month.

Having thus regulated my affairs, my mind was taken up with other sort of things than ordinary pleasures.  I contracted friendship with divers persons of almost the same age with myself, who took care I did not want company.  The first month expired, I began to visit my merchants twice a week, taking along with me a public officer to inspect their books of sale, and a banker to see they paid me in good money, as well as to regulate the value of the several species; so that every pay-day I had a good sum of money to carry home to my lodging.  I went nevertheless on the other days to pass the morning, sometimes at a merchant’s house, and sometimes at some other person’s.  In fine, I diverted myself in conversing with one or other, and seeing what passed in the bezestein.