THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 59 



pleaded his poverty and his want of relations that could af- 

 fift him ; on which, the old prieft offered to place his eldeft 

 fon with a rich friend of his own, who had no children, 

 and where he mould want for nothing. The propofal was 

 accepted, and the young lad, about ten years of age, was de- 

 livered by his father to the old prieft, to carry him to this 

 friend, who fent the boy to Dixan and fold him there. Up- 

 on the old prieft's return, after giving the father a fplendid 

 account of his fon's reception, treatment, and profpects, he 

 gave him a piece of cotton cloth, as a prefent from his 

 fon's patron. 



The younger child, about eight years old, hearing the 

 good fortune of his elder brother, became fo importunate to 

 be allowed to go and vifit him, that the parents were obliged 

 to humour him, and confent. But the old prieft had a fcru- 

 ple, faying he would not take the charge of fo young a 

 boy, unlefs his mother went with him. This being fet- 

 tled, the old prieft conveyed them to the market at Dixan, 

 where he fold both the mother and the remaining child. 



Returning to the father, the old prieft told him, that his 

 wife would flay only fo long, and expected he would then 

 fetch her upon a certain day, which was named. The day 

 being come, the two priefts went together to fee this happy 

 family ; and, upon their entering Dixan, it was found that 

 the old prieft had fold the young one, but not to the fame 

 Moor to whom he had fold his family. Soon after, thefe 

 two Moors, who had bought the Chriftians, becoming part- 

 ners in the venture, the old prieft was to receive forty cot- 

 ton-cloths, that is, L. 10 Sterling, for the hufband, wife, and 

 children. 



Vol. III. M The 



