THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 61 



have been cut off, the fault would have been imputed to 

 him. 



Angry as I was at fo barefaced a farce, I could not help 

 burfting out into a violent fit of loud laughter, when he 

 put on the fevered countenance, and defired to know the 

 reafon of my laughing at fuch a time. It is now two 

 months, anfwered I, fince you have been throwing various 

 objections; in my way ; can you wonder that I do not give 

 into fo grofs an impofition ? This fame morning, before I 

 flruck my tent, in prefence of your nephew Achmet, I fpoke 

 with two Shihojuft arrived from Samhar, who brought let- 

 ters to Achmet, which faid all was in peace. Have you 

 earlier intelligence than that of this morning ? 



He was for fome time without fpeaking ; then faid, " If 

 you are weary of living, you are welcome to go ; but I will 

 do my duty in warning thofe that are along with you of 

 their and your danger, that, when the mifchief happens, it 

 may not be imputed to me." " No number of naked Shi- 

 ho," faid I, " unlefs inftructed by you, can ever be found on 

 our road, that will venture to attack us. The Shiho have 

 no fire arms ; but if you have fent on purpofe fome of your 

 foldiers that have fire arms, thefe will difcover by what 

 authority they come. For our part, we cannot fly ; we 

 neither know the country, the language, nor the watering- 

 places, and we friall not attempt it. We have plenty of dif- 

 ferent forts of fire-arms, and your fervants have often feen 

 at Mafuah we are not ignorant in the ufe of them. We, it 

 is true, may lofe our lives, that is in the hand of the Al- 

 mighty ; but we friall not fail to leave enough on the fpot,, 

 to give fufEcient indication to the king and Ras Michael, 



z who- 



