THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 183 



murdering me, it is a boaft fo ridiculous that I laugh at it, 

 Thofe pale-faced fellows who are about you muffled up in 

 burnoofes for fear of cold in the morning, are they capable 

 to look janiffaries in the face like mine ? Speak lowly, and 

 in Arabic, when you talk at this rate, or perhaps it will not 

 be in my power to return you the compliment you did me 

 lafl night, or hinder them from killing you on the fpot. Were 

 ever fuch words fpoken ! faid a man behind ; tell me, ma- 

 iler, are you a king ? If Sidi Haffan, anfwered I, is your ma- 

 iler, and you fpeak to me on this occafion, you are a wretch ; 

 get out of my fight ; I fwear I will not drink a difli of coffee 

 while you are here, and will mount my horfe directly. 



I then rofe, and the fervant took back the coffee-pot; 

 upon which Haffan ordered his fervant out of his pre- 

 sence, faying, " No, no ; give me the coffee if we are in peace j" 

 and he drank it accordingly. Now, fays he, pail is pail ; the 

 Atouni are to meet us at the * mouth of Beder ; your people 

 are better armed than mine, are Turks, and ufed to fighting. 

 I would wifh you to go foremoll, and we will take charge 

 of your camels, though my people have 4000 of their own, 

 and they have enough to do to take charge of the corns 

 " And I," faid I, " if I wanted water or provifion, would go 

 to meet the Atouni, who would ufe me well. Why, you don't 

 know to whom you are fpeaking, nor that the Atouni are 

 Arabs of Ali Bey, and that lam his man of confidence, go- 

 ing to the Sherriffe of Mecca ? The Atouni will not hurt us • 

 but, as you fay, you are commander of the caravan, we have 



all 



* The Arabs call thefe narrow pafTes in the mountains Fum, as the Hebrews did Pi, the- 

 mouth. Fum el Beder, is the mouth of Beder; Fum el Teifowey, the mouth or paffage of Ter-- 

 fow£y ; Piha Hhiioth, the mouth of the va'ley cut through with ravines. 



