THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 25 



Twer him, he again faid, " The firft time it was vifible it 

 brought the fmall-pox, which has killed above 1000 people 

 in Mafuah and Arkeeko. It is known you converfed with it 

 every night atLoheia; it has now followed you again to finifh 

 the few that remain, and then you are to carry it into Abyf- 

 finia. What have you to do with the comet ?" 



Without giving me leave to fpeak, his brother Emir 

 Achmet then faid, That he was informed I was an engineer 

 going to Michael, governor of Tigre, to teach the Abyffinians 

 to make cannon and gunpowder ; that the firft attack was 

 to be againft Mafuah. Five or fix others fpoke much in the 

 fame ftrain ; and the Naybe concluded by faying, That he 

 would fend me in chains to Conftantinople, unlefs I went to 

 Hamazen, with his brother Emir Achmet, to the hot- wells 

 there, and that this was the refolution of all the janizaries; 

 for I had concealed my being a phyfician. 



1 had not yet opened my mouth. I then afked, If all 

 thefe were janizaries ; and where was their commanding 

 officer ? A well-looking, elderly man anfwered, " I am 

 Sardar of the janizaries."—" If you are Sardar, then," faid 

 I, " this firman orders you to protect me. The Naybe is a 

 man of this country, no member of the Ottoman empire." 

 Upon my firft producing my firman to him, lie threw it 

 afide like wafte-paper. The greateft Vizir in the Turkifh 

 dominions would have received it (landing, bowed his head 

 to the ground, then kifled.it, and put it upon his forehead. 

 A general murmur of approbation followed, and I continu- 

 ed, — " Now I muft tell you my refolution is, never to go to 

 Hamazen, or elfewhere, with Emir Achmet. Both he and 

 the Naybe have fhewed themfelves my enemies ; and, I be- 



Vol. III. D . lieve, 



