THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6 9 



had the fuperiority of the ground, as coming down the 

 mountain which we were afcending ; yet I obferved them 

 to feem rather uneafy at meeting us ; and fo far from any 

 appearance of hoftility, that, I believe, had we attacked 

 briikly, they would have fled without much refrftance. 

 They were, indeed, incumbered with a prodigious quantity 

 of goats and other cattle, fo were not in a fighting trim. I 

 faluted the man that feemed to be their chief, and afked 

 him if he would fell us a goat. He returned my falute ; 

 but either could not fpeak Arabic, or declined further con- 

 verfation. However, thofe of our people behind, that were' 

 of a colour nearer to themfelves, bought us a goat that was 

 lame, (dearly they faid) for fome antimony, four large nee- 

 dles, and fome beads. Many of them afked us for kijirab, or 

 bread. This being an Arabic word, and their having no 

 other word in their language fignifying bread, convinces me 

 they were Icthyophagi ; as, indeed, hiftory fays all thofe Tro- 

 glydite nations were who lived upon the Red Sea. It could 

 not indeed be otherwife : the rich, when trade flourifhed in 

 thefe parts, would probably get corn from Arabia or Abyf- 

 unia ; but, in their own country, no corn would grow. 



At 2 o'clock in trie afternoon we refumed our journey 

 through a very flony, uneven road, till j o'clock, when we 

 pitched our tent at a place called Hamhammou, on the fide 

 of a fmall green hill fome hundred yards from the bed of 

 the torrent. The weather had heen perfectly good fince 

 we left Mafuah :■ this afternoon, however, it feemed to 

 threaten rain ; the high mountains were quite hid, and 

 great part of the lower ones covered with thick clouds ; the 

 lightning was very frequent, broad, and deep- tinged with 

 blue ; and long peals of thunder were heard, but at a dif- 



tancei ..-. 



