THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 407 



into his head. They had made him beUeve that there was 

 a treafure hid under a certain mountain which they had 

 fliewn him, but that the devil who guarded it had conftant- 

 ly hindered his predecefTors from acquiring it. At prefent 

 they had found out, that this devil had gone a journey far 

 off, was become blind and lame, and was, beiides, in very 

 great affliction for the death of a fon, the only hopes of his 

 devilQiip's family, having now only a daughter remaining, 

 very ugly, lame, fquinting, and fickly, and that all thefe rea- 

 fons would hinder him from being very anxious about his 

 treafure. But, even fuppofing he did come, they had an old 

 monk that would exorcife him, a man as eminent for wif- 

 dom as for fanftity. 



In fliort, they produced a monk, one of their brethren, a- 

 bove a hundred years old, whom they mounted upon a 

 horfe, then tied him to the animal, wrapping him round 

 with black wooL, which, it feems, was the conjuring habit. 

 He was followed by a black cow and fome monks, who 

 carried beer, hydromel, and roafted wheat, which was ne- 

 ceffary, it feemed, to refrelh the devil after his long journey 

 and great afflidlion, and put him in good humour, if he 

 fliould appear. 



The old monk fung without ceafing, the workmen 

 wrought vigoroufly, and much earth and ftones were re- 

 moved ; at laft they difcovered fome rat, mice, or mole- 

 holes, at the fight of which a cry of joy was heard from all 

 the parties preient. 



The old monk fmgs again ; the cow is brought in great 

 hurry, and facrificed, and pieces of it thrown to the rats and 



mice; 



