THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 149 



complaints, but of what I did no,- underftand, only that 

 they feemed to acciife us of having wronged them, fn inert, 

 we found the matter was this ; one of the Moors had taken 

 a heap of ft raw which he was carrying to his als, but the 

 proprietor, at feeing this, had alarmed the village, Every 

 body had taken lances and fhields, but, not daring to ap- 

 proach for fear of the fire-arms, they had contented them- 

 felves with fhowering ftones at us from their hiding-places, 

 at a diftance from among the bullies. We immediately 

 told them, however, that though, as the king's gueit, I had 

 a- title to be furnifhed with what was neceffary, yet, if they 

 were averfe to it, I was very well content to pay for every 

 thin<* they furnifhed, both for my men and beads ; but that 

 theymuft throw no Hones, otherwife we would defend our- 

 felves. 



Our tent being now pitched, and every thing- in order, 

 a treaty foon followed. They confented to fell us what we 

 wanted, but at extravagant prices, which, however, I was 

 content to comply with. But a man of the village,. acquaint- 

 ed with one of the king's fervants, had communicated to 

 him, that the pretence of the Moor's taking the firaw was 

 not really the reafon of the uproar, for they made no ufe of 

 it except to burn ; but that a report had been fpread abroad, 

 that an action had happened between Fafil and Ras Michael, 

 in which the latter had been defeated, and the country no 

 longer in fear of the Has,, had indulged themf elves in their 

 ufual exceffes, and; taking us for a caravan of Mahometans 

 with merchandife, had refolvcd to rob us, 



Welt/fta Michael, grandfon to Fas. Michael, command- 

 ed this p;u l of the province ; and being but thirteen years 



of 



