THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 7 



Mahomet Gibberti, Metical Aga's fervant, had come in- 

 che boat with me ; but Abdelcader, who carried the mef- 

 iage and firman, and who was governor of the ifland ofDa- 

 halac, had failed at fame time with me, and had been, 

 fpectator of the honour which was paid my ihip when fhe 

 left the harbour of Jidda. 



Running ftraight over to Mafuah, Abdelcader had pro* 

 claimed what he had feen with great exaggeration, accord- 

 ing to the cuftora of his country ; and reported that a prince 

 was coming, a very near relation to the king of England,, 

 who was no trader, but came only to vifit countries and 

 people. 



It was many times, and oft agitated (as we knew after- 

 wards) between the Naybe and his counfellors, what was 

 to be done with this prince. Some were for the moll expe- 

 ditious, and what has long been the moil cuftomary me- 

 thod of treating ftrangers in Mafuah, to put them to death, 

 and divide every thing they had among the garrifon. O- 

 thers infilled, that they mould Hay and fee what letters I had 

 from Arabia to Abyffinia, left this might prove an addition 

 to the ftorm jull ready to break upon them on the part of 

 Metical Aga and Michael Suhul. 



But Achmet, the Naybe's nephew, faid, it was folly to 

 doubt but that a man, under the defcription I was, would 

 have protections of every kind ; but whether I had or not, 

 that my very rank mould protect me in every place where 

 there was any government whatever; it might do even a- 

 mong banditti and thieves inhabiting woods and mountains; 

 that a fumcient quantity of ftrangers blood had been al- 



A- ready 



