224 TRAVELS TO DISCOTT-R 



"heavens, from which I drew knowledge very ufeful to pre- 

 ferve man's health and life ; that I was no merchant, and 

 had no dealings whatever in any fort of mercantile matters; 

 and that I had no need of any man's money, as he had told 

 Mahomet Gibberti to provide for any call I might have in that 

 country, and for which he would anfwer, let the fum be 

 what it would, as he had the word of my countrymen to 

 repay it, which he confidered better than the written fecurity 

 of any other people in the world. He then repeated very nearly 

 the fame words ufed in the beginning of the letter ; and, 

 upon this particular requeft, Metical Aga had fent him a 

 diftincl: prefent, not to confound it with other political 

 and commercial affairs, in which they were concerned to- 

 gether. 



Upon reading this letter, Michael exclaimed, "Metical 

 Aga does not know the fituation of this country. Safety! 

 where is that to be found ? I am obliged to fight for my 

 own life every day. Will Metical call this fafety ? "Who 

 knows, at this moment, if the king is in fafety, or how long 

 I mall be fo ? All I can do is to keep him with me. If I 

 lofemy own life, and the king's, Metical Aga can never think 

 it was in my power to preferve that of his ftranger."— " No, 

 no," fays Ay to Ay lo, who was then prefent, " you don't know 

 the man ; he is a devil on horfeback ; he rides better, and 

 fhoots better, than any man that ever came into Abyflinia ; 

 lofe no time, put him about the king, and there is no fear 

 of him. He is very fober and religious ; he will do the king 

 good. " Shoot!" fays Michael, " he won't fhoot at me as the 

 Armenian did ; will he ? will he ?" " Oh," continued Aylo, 

 -" you know thefe days are over. What is the Armenian ? a 

 -boy, a Have to the Turk. When you lee this man, you'll not 



2 think 



