THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 79 



At length four Moors, one of them a fervant of Yafine, 

 with one firelock, were fent down after the affes ; and the 

 men were ordered to fire at a diftance, fo as to be heard in 

 cafe any thing dilhonefl was offered on the part of the Ha- 

 zorta. But luckily the appetite of the affes returning, they 

 had fallen to eat the buflies, about half way to Lila, where 

 they were found a little before fun-fet. 



The number of hyaenas that are everywhere among the 

 buflies, had, as we fuppofed, been feen by thefe animals, 

 and had driven them all into a body. It was probable that 

 this, too, made them more docile, fo that they fuffered 

 themfelves to be driven on before their matters. The hye- 

 nas, however, followed them flep by ftep, always incrcafing 

 in number ; and, the men, armed only with lances, began to 

 be fully as much afraid for themfelves as for the affes. At laft 

 the hyxnas became fo bold, that one of them feized the afs 

 belonging to the poor Moor, whofe cargo was yet lying at 

 the foot of Taranta, and pulled him down, though the 

 man ran to him and relieved him with lances. This 

 would have begun a general engagement with the hyamas, 

 had not Yafine's man that carried the firelock difcharged 

 it amongft them, but miffed them all. However, it anfwer- 

 ed the purpofe ; they difappeared, and left the affes and afs- 

 drivers to purfue their way. 



The fhot, for a moment, alarmed us all upon the moun- 

 tain. Every man ran to his arms to prepare for the coming 

 of the Hazorta ; but a moment's reflection upon the fhort 

 time the men had been away, the diftance between us and 

 Tubbo, and the fmall fpace that it feemed to be from where 

 the gun was fired, made us all conclude the man had only in- 

 tended. 



