THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. m 



I easily faw that fo much poverty, joined to fo much 

 avarice and pride, made the poffefTor a proper fubject to be 

 employed. My young favourite, who had made fo frank 

 an offer of her kindnefs, had brought me her brother, beg- 

 ging that I would take him with me to Gondar to Ras Mi- 

 chael, and allow him to carry one of my guns, no doubt with 

 an intention to run offwith it by the way. I told her that was 

 a thing eafily done ; but I mull firfl have a trial of his fide- 

 lity, which was this, That he would, without fpeaking to 

 anybody but me and her, go ftraight to Janni at Adowa, and 

 carry the letter I mould give him, and deliver it into his 

 own hand, in which cafe I would give him a lar^e parcel 

 of each of thefe beads, more than ever flie thought to pof- 

 fefs in her lifetime. She frankly agreed, that my word was 

 more to be relied upon than either her own or her brother's • 

 and, therefore, that the beads, once fhewn to them both, 

 were to remain a depofit in my hand. However, not to fend: 

 him away wholly deftitute of the power of charming, I 

 prefented him the fingle firing of white bugles for his ancle. 

 Janni's Greek fervant gave him a letter, and he made fuch 

 diligence that, on the fourth day, by eight o'clock in the 

 morning, he came to my tent without ever having beert 

 niifled at home;, 



At the fame time came an officer from Janni, with a vio- 

 lent mandate, in the name of Ras Michael, declaring to the 

 perfon that was the caufe of our detention, That, was it not 

 for ancient friendfhip, the prefent meflengcr; mould have 

 carried him to Ras Michael in irons ;- difcharging me from 

 all awides ; ordering him, as Shum of the place, to fumim. 

 me with provifions ; and, in regard to the time he had can- 

 fed us to lofe,. fixing the awides of the whole caravan at 



eig.ht 



