THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 365 



felf, but I would never advife you to fpeak one word of Ya- 

 fine to him ; it is not the cuftom ; you may, if you pleafe, to 

 Confu, he knows him already. His eitate lies all around 

 you, and he will enforce your orders if there mould be any 

 need." 



" Pardon me, Tecla Mariam, faid I, if I do not underfland 

 you. I came here to folicit for Yafine, that Confu or his 

 fu ■ -,f >- would appoint him their deputy, and you anfwer 

 that you advife me to appoint him myfelf." — " And fo I do, 

 replies Tecla Mariam : Who is to appoint him but you ? 

 You are governor of Ras el Feel ; are you not ?" I flood mo- 

 tionlefs with aftonilhment. " It is no great affair, fays he, 

 and I hope you will never fee it. It is a hot, unwholefomc 

 country, full of Mahometans; but its gold is as good as any 

 Chriilian gold whatever. I wifh it had been Begemder 

 with all my heart, but there is a good time coming," 



After having recovered myfelf a little from my furprife, 

 I went to Ayto Confu to kifs his hand as my fuperior, but 

 this he would by no means fuffer me to do. A great din- 

 ner was provided us by the Iteghe ; and Yafine being fent 

 for, wa- appointed, cloathed,thatis inverted, and ordered im- 

 mediately to Ras el Feel to his government, to make peace 

 with the Daveina, and bring all the horfes he could get with 

 him from thence, or from Atbara. I fent there alio that poor 

 man who had given us the fmall blue beads on the road, as I 

 have already mentioned. The having thus provided for 

 thofe two men, and fecured, as I thought, a retreat toSen- 

 naar for myfelf, gave me the firft real pleafure that I had re- 

 ceived fince landing at Mafuah ; and that day, in company 

 with Heikel, Tecla Mariam, Engedan, Aylo, and Guebra 



DengheL 



