364 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



was very much furprifed to hear him fay gravely, and with- 

 out hefitation, " I have as good an opinion of Yafme as 

 you can have ; and I have as bad a one of Abdel Jelleel as 

 any man in Gondar, for which, too, I have fufficient rea- 

 fon, as it is but lately the king told me peevifhly enough, I 

 did not look to my affairs, (which is true) as he underilood 

 that the diftrict was ruined by having been neglected. But 

 I am no longer governor of Ras el Feel, I have refigned it. I 

 hope they will appoint a wifer and better man; let him 

 choofe for his deputy Yafme, or who elfe he pleafes, for I 

 have fworn by the head of the Iteghe, I will not meddle or. 

 make with the government of Ras el ieel more. 



Tecla Mariam, the king's fecretary, came in at that in- 

 ftant with a number of other people. I wanted to take 

 Confu afide to afk him further if he knew who this gover- 

 nor was, but he muffled among the crowd, faying, " My 

 mother will tell you all ; the man who is appointed is your 

 friend, and I think Yafine may be the deputy." I now loll 

 no time in going to Ozoro Eflher to intercede for the go- 

 vernment of Ras el Feel for Yafine. 



Among the crowd I met firft Tecla Mariam, the king's 

 fecretary, who taking me by the hand, faid, with a laughing 

 countenance, " O ho, I wifh you joy; this is like a man; you 

 are now no ftranger, but one of us ; why was not you at 

 court ?" I faid I had no particular bufinefs there, but that 

 I came hither to fee Ayto Confu, that he might fpeak in fa- 

 vour of Yafine to get him appointed deputy of Ras el Feel. 

 " Why don't you appoint him yourfelf ? fays he ; what has 

 Confu to do with the affair now ? You don't intend always 

 to be in leading firings ? You may thank the king for your- 

 felf, 



