2.26 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



I think it was about the 14th that thcfe letters were to 

 be all read. I, expected at the ordinary hour, about five in 

 the afternoon, to be fent for, and had rode out to Kofcam 

 with Ayto Heikel, the queen's chamberlain, to fee the child, 

 who was pretty well recovered of all its complaints, but very 

 weak. In the interim I was fent for to the Ras, with orders 

 to difpatch a man with the king's prefent, to wait for me at 

 the palace, whither I was to go after leaving Michael. It was 

 anfwered, That I was at Kofcam, and the errand I had gone- 

 on mentioned ; which difappointment, and the caufe, did 

 no way prejudice me with the Ras. Five in the evening 

 was fixed as the hour, and notice fent to Kofcam, I came- 

 a little before the time, and met Ayto Aylo at the door. He 

 fqueezed me by the hand, and laid, " Refufe nothing, it can 

 be all altered afterwards ; but it is very neceffary, on account. 

 of the priefts and the populace, you have a place of fome au- 

 thority, otherwife you will be robbed and murdered the firft 

 time you go half a mile from home : fifty people have told 

 me you have chefts filled with gold, and that you can make 

 gold, or bring what quantity you pleafe from the Indies; 

 and the reafon of all this is, becaufe you refufed the queen 

 and Ozoro Efther's oner of gold at Kofcam, and which you. 

 mud never do again." 



We went in and faw the old man fitting upon a fofa ; 

 his white hair was dreffed in many fhort curls. He ap- 

 peared to he thoughtful, but not .difpleaied ; his face was 

 lean, his eyes quick and vivid, but feemed to be a little fore 

 from expofure to the weather. He feemed to be about lix 

 feet high, though his lamenefs made it difficult to guefs 

 with accuracy. His air was perfectly free from conltraint, 

 what the French call degagee. In face and perfon he was 



liker 



