THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 187 



his flight. But he had formed his refohition, and, without 

 deigning to give his reafons, he obftinately refufed to re- 

 treat a ftep farther. In vain the queen, and thofe that knew 

 the country, told him he was jull in the tradl of the Moor- 

 ilh horfemen, who would not fail foon to furround him. 

 He repeated his refohition of ftaying there with fuch a de- 

 gree of lirmnefs, that I'le queen and patriarch, who had no 

 great defire for martyrdom, left him to his fate, which pre- 

 fently overtook him. 



In one of Don Chriftopher's expeditions to the moun- 

 tains, he had taken a very beautiful woman, wife to a 

 Turkilh officer, whom he had flain. This lady had made 

 a Ihcw of converfion to Chriftianity ; lived with him after- 

 wards, and was treated by him with the utmoft tendcrnels. 

 It was faid, that, after he was wounded and began to fly, 

 this woman had given him his route, and promifcd to over- 

 take him with friends that would carry him to a place of 

 fafety. Accordingly, fome fervants left by the queen, hid- 

 den among the rocks, to watch what might befal him, and 

 aflift him if pofllble, faw a v/oman, in the dawn of the 

 morning, come to the cave, and return into the wood im- 

 mediately, whence there rulhcd our a body of Moorifli 

 horfe, who went ftraight to the cave and found Don Chri- 

 ftopher Iving upon the ground forcly wounded. Upon the 

 firil queftion that was afkcd him, he declnred his name, 

 Avhich fo overjoyed the Moors, that they gave over further 

 purfuit, and returned with the prifoner they had taken. 

 Don Chriilopher was brought into the prefcnce of the Moor- 

 illi general, Gragnc, who loaded him with reproaches ; to 

 which he replied with fuch a iliare of invectives, that tJie 

 Moor, in ti\Q violence of his pailion, drevv^ his fword and cut 



A a 2 oir 



