THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 23 



An uncle of his, then p.refent, greatly aggravated this 

 affair. He pretented that the Naybe might do what he 

 pleated with his prefents ; but that he could not in any 

 ihape give away the prefent due to the janizaries, which was • 

 40 ounces of gold, or 400 dollars ; and this was all they Con- 

 tented themlelves to take, on account of the letter I br >uffht 

 from the port of janizaries at Cairo; and in this they only 

 taxed me the fum paid by the A buna for his pailage 

 through Mafuah. I anfwcred firmly, — " Since vou have' 

 broken your faith with the grand fignior, the government 

 of Cairo, the balha at Jidda, and Metical Aga, you will no 

 doubt do as you pleafe with me ; but you may expect to fee 

 the Englifh man of war, the Lion, before Arkeeko, fome 

 morning by day-break." — " I lliould be glad," faid the Naybe, 

 " to fee that man at Arkeeko or Mafuah that would carry as 

 much writing from you to Jidda as would lie upon my 

 thumb nail; 1 would flrip his ihirt offlirft, and then his 

 fkin, and hang him before your door to teach . you more 

 wifdom." — " But my wifdom has taught rare to prevent all 

 this. My letter is already gone to Jidda ; and if, in twenty 

 days from this, another letter from me does not follow it, 

 you will fee what will arrive. In the mean time, I here an- 

 nounce it to you, that I have letters from Metical Aga and 

 the SherrifFe of Mecca, to Michael Suhul governor of Tigre, 

 and the king of Abyffinia. I, therefore, would wim that 

 you would leave off thefe unmanly altercations, which ferve 

 no fort of purpofe, and let me continue my journey." The 

 Naybe faid in a low voice to himfelf, " What, Michael too ! 

 then go your journey, and think of the ill. that's before you." 

 I turned my back without any anfwer or falutation, and 

 was fcarce arrived at home when a mefTage came from the 

 Naybe, defiring I would fend him two bottles of aquavits. 



I gave 



