THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 217 



head: He was lean, old, and apparently much fatigued; fat 

 {looping upon an excellent mule, that carried him fpeedily 

 without fhaking him ; he had alfo fore eyes. As we faw 

 the place where he was to light by four crofs lances, and a 

 cloth thrown over them like a temporary tent, upon an 

 eminence, we did not fpeak to him till he alighted. Petros 

 and the Greek prieft, befides fervants, were the only people 

 with me, Francis * had joined us upon our meeting the 

 Ras. 



"We alighted at the fame time he did, and afterwards, 

 with anxiety enough we deputed the Greek prieft, who was 

 a friend of Michael, to tell him who I was, and that I was 

 come to meet him. The foldiers made way, and I came up, 

 took him by the hand, and khTed it. He looked me broad 

 in the face for a fecond, repeated the ordinary falutation in 

 Tigre. " How do you do ? I hope you are well;" and pointed 

 to a place where I was to fit down. A thoufand complaints, 

 and a thoufand orders came immediately before him, from 

 a thoufand mouths, and we were nearly fmothered; but he 

 took no notice of me, nor did he afk for one of his family. 

 In fome minutes after came the king, who palled at fome 

 diftance to the left of him ; and Michael was then led out 

 of the flicker of his tent to the door, where he was fupport- 

 ed on foot till the king palled by, having firll pulled off the 

 towel that was upon his head, after which he returned to 

 his feat in the tent again. 



Vol. III. E e The 



* A man much attached to Michael, and had been preferred by him to many commands 

 and confequently was the only Greek that covud be called a good fcldier. 



