2 4 4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



I can kill a man with a candle, or not, is an experiment that 

 Ihould not be made. Tell me, however, what I mail do be- 

 fore you that you may deem an equivalent ? Will piercing 

 the table, upon which your dinner is ferved, (it was of fyca- 

 more, about three quarters of an inch thick), at the length o£ 

 this room, be deemed a fufficient proof of what I advanced?" 



" Ah, Yagoube, Yagoube, fays the king, take care what 

 you fay. That is indeed more than Guebra Mafcal will 

 do at that diftance ; but take great care; you don't know 

 thefc people'; they will lie themfelves all day; nay, their 

 whole life is one lie ; but of you they expect better, or 

 would be glad to find worfe ; take care." Ayto Engedan, 

 who was then prefent, faid, " I am fure if Yagoube fays he 

 can do it, he will do it ; but how, I don't know. Can you 

 ihoot through my fhield with a tallow candle ?" — " To you, 

 Ayto Engedan, faid I, I can fpeak freely; I could moot thro' 

 your fhield if it was the flrongefl in the army, and kill the 

 flrongefl man in the army that held it before him. When 

 will you fee this tried ?" — " Why now, fays the king ; there 

 is nobody here." — " The fooner the better, faid I ; I would not 

 wifh to remain for a moment longer under lb difagreeable 

 an imputation as that of lying, an infamous one in my 

 country, whatever it may be in this. Let me fend for my 

 gun; the king will look out at the window." — " Nobody^ fays, 

 he, knows any thing of it ; nobody will come." 



The king appeared to be very anxious, and, I faw plain* 

 ly, incredulous. The gun was brought; Engedan's fhield wa3 

 produced, which was of aftrong buffalo's hide. I faid to him, 

 u This is a weak €>nc, give me one flronger." Ke fhook his 



4 head,. 



