THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6oj 



indeed, but of noble manners and carnage, and who, by 

 the juftice and mildnefs of his behaviour and cuftoms, had 

 acquired a great degree of influence among his neighbours. 

 The father was old and feeble, but the fon in the vigour of 

 his age, who was then ftandmg in a large pool of water, at 

 his father's door, wafhing his own cotton cloak, or wrapper, 

 which is their upper garment ; an occupation below no 

 young man in AbyiTmia. 



Bacuffa, as overcome with heat, threw himfelf down 

 under the fliade of a tree, and, in a faint voice and foreign 

 dialed, intreated the young man to wafli his cloak likcwife, 

 after having finiflied his own. The young man confented 

 mofl willingly ; and, throwing by his own garment, fell to 

 wafliing the ftranger's with great diligence and attention. 

 In the mean time, BaculTa began queftioning him about the 

 king, and what his opinion was of him. The young man 

 anfwered, he had never formed any. BaculTa, however, ftill 

 plied him with quellions, while he continued wafhing the 

 cloak,without givinghim any anfwer at ali; at laft, being able 

 to hold out no longer, he gathered Bacufl'a's cloak in his 

 arms, wet as it was, andtlirew it. to him : " I tliought, fays he, 

 when you prayed me to take your cloak, that I was doing a 

 charitable action to fome poor Galla fainting with fatigue, 

 and perhaps with hunger ;: but, fmce 1 have had it in my 

 hands, I have found you an inftru(5tor of Icings and nobles, 

 a leader of armies and maker of laws. Take your cloak, 

 therefore, and wafh it yourfclf, which, is what Providence 

 has ordained to be yom^ bufmefs ; it is a fafer trade, and 

 you will have lefs time to cenfure your fuperiors, which 

 can never be a proper or uieful occupation to a feiiow like 

 you." 



The 



