THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 639 



vifible, the cries of women at the fight of an enemy fo' 

 near them, and the hurry of the men deferting their habi- 

 tation loaded with the moft valuable of their efFecSls all in- 

 creafed the king's impatience to put himfelf in pofleffiott 

 of this capital of his enemy. 



It happened that an Arab, belonging to Nile Wed Ageeb^ 

 had feen the manoeuvre of Hamis aad his cavalry. This man, 

 croffing the Nile at the neareft ford, came and told his ma- 

 tter, Wed Ageeb, what he had feen, who informed the king 

 of his danger. Upon interrogating rhe Arab, it was found 

 that the affair of AVelled de I'uul would certainly be over 

 before the king could poffibly join him ; and in that cafe 

 he muft fall in the mid 1: of a vi(5lorious anny, and his 

 deftrudion rauft then be inevitable, if he attempted' it. 

 It was, therefore, agreed, as the only means poffible to fave 

 the king and that part of the array he had with him, to 

 retreat in the route Shekh Nile fliould indicate to them,, 

 marching up with the river Nile clofe on their right hand, 

 and leaving the defert between that and the Bender, which 

 is abfolutely without water, to cover their left. This was 

 executed as foon as refolved. 



In the mean time, Hamis had croffed the Nile, and con- 

 tinued his march with the utmoft diligence, and, in the 

 clofe of the evening, had fallen upon Welled de lOul as 

 unexpededly as he could have wifhed. The Abyflinians 

 were everywhere flaughtered and trodden down before 

 they could prepare themfclves for the leaft refiftance. All 

 that could fly Iheltered themfelves in the woods : but this 

 refuge was as certain death as the fword of the Fungc ; for,. 

 after leaving the river Dender,.all the country behind them^ 



