THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i^ 



ftraight acrofs the bay, but fomewhat more by land. The 

 paflage from the mam is on the north fide of the ifland, 

 which is not above a quarter of a mile broad ; there is a 

 large ciftern for rain-water on the land- fide, where you em- 

 bark acrofs. He was poorly attended by three or four fer- 

 vants, miferably mounted, and about forty naked favages 

 on foot, armed with iiiort lances and crooked knives. 



The drum beat before him all the way from Arkeeko to 

 Mafuah. Upon entering the boat, the drum on the land- 

 fide ceafed, and thofe, in what is called the Caftle of Mafuah, 

 began. The caftle is a fmall clay hut, and in it one fwivel- 

 gun, which is not mounted, but lies upon the ground, and 

 is fired always with great trepidation and fome danger. The 

 drums are earthen jars, fuch as they fend butter in to Ara- 

 bia ; the mouths of which are covered with a Ikin, fo that 

 a flranger, on feeing two or three of thefe together, would 

 run a great rifk of believing them to be jars of butter, or 

 pickles, carefully covered with oiled parchment. 



All the proceflion was in the fame (tile. The Naybe 

 was dreiled in an old fhabby Turkifh habit, much too fhort 

 for him, and feemed to have been made about the time of 

 Sultan Selim. He wore alio upon his head a Turkifh cowke, 

 or high-cap, which fcarccly admitted any part of his head. 

 In this drefs, which on him had a truly ridiculous appear- 

 ance, he received the caftan, or inveftiture, of the ifland of 

 Mafuah; and, being thereby reprefentative of the grand 

 fignior, confented that day to be called Omar Aga, in ho- 

 nour of the commiilio:;. 



C 2 Two 



