THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 223 



much time to myfelf as pofliblc ; and what I was moft an- 

 xious about at prefent, was to know when it would be con- 

 venient for them to admit me to fee the Ras, and deliver 

 my letters as a ftranger. 



Mahomet went away, and returned, bringing Mahomet 

 Gibberti, who told me, that, befides the letter I carried to 

 Ras Michael from Metical Aga his matter, he had been 

 charged with a particular one, out of the ordinary form, 

 dictated by the Englifh at Jidda, who, all of them, and par- 

 ticularly my friends Captain Thornhill, and Capt. Thomas 

 Price of the Lyon, had agreed to make a point with Metical 

 Aga, devoted to them for his own profit, that his utmoffc 

 exertion of friendfhip and intereft, mould be fo employed 

 in my recommendation, as to engage the attention of Ras 

 Michael to provide in earneft for my fafety and fatisf ac- 

 tion in every point. 



This letter I had myfelf read at Jidda ; it informed Mi- 

 chael of the power and riches of our nation, and that they 

 were abfolute mafters of the trade on the Red Sea, and 

 ftrictly connected with the Sherriffe, and in a very particular 

 manner with him, Metical Aga ; that any accident happen- 

 ing to me would be an infamy and difgrace to him, and 

 worfe than death itfelf, becaufe, that knowing Michael's 

 power, and relying on his friendfhip, he had become fecurity 

 for my fafety, after I arrived in his hands ; that I was a man 

 of confideration in my own country, fervant to the king of 

 it, who, though himfelf a Chriftian, governed his fubjccts 

 Muffulmen and Pagans, with the fame impartiality andjuf- 

 tice as he did Chriftians. That all my defire was to examine 

 fprings and rivers, trees and flowers, and the ftars in the 



heavens, 



