THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. t,6 7 



moft beautiful woman in Abyfllnia after Ozoro Either, 

 were both ill at Gondar. There needed no more for me to 

 repair inftantly thither. I muffled my head up as great of- 

 ficers generally do when riding near the capital. I palled at 

 different times above twenty of theie fanatics on the road, fix 

 and feven together ; but either they did not know me, or 

 at leaft, if they did, they did not fay any thing ; I came to Ay- 

 to Aylo's, who was fitting, complaining of fore eyes, with 

 the queen's chamber lain,. Ay to Heikel. 



After the ufual falutation, I afkcd Aylo what was the mat- 

 tcr in town ? and if it was true that Sebaat Gzier had excom- 

 municated Abba Salama ? and told him that I had conceived 

 tliefe difputes about faith had been long ago fettled. He an- 

 fwered with an affected gravity, " That it was not fo ; that 

 this was of fuch importance that he doubted it would 

 throw the country into great convulfions ; and he would 

 not advife me to be feen in the ilrcet." — " Tell me, I befeech 

 you, faid I, what it is about. I hope not the old ftory of the 

 Franks ?" — " No, no, fays he, a great deal worfe than that, it 

 is about Nebuchadnezzar :" — and he broke out in a great fie 

 of laughter. " The monk of Debra Libanos fays, that Ne- 

 buchadnezzar is a faint ; and Abba Salama fays that he was 

 a Pagan, Idolater, and a Turk, and that he is burning in 

 hell fire with Dathan and Abiram." — " Very well, faid I, I 

 cannot think he was a Mahometan if he was a Pagan and 

 Idolater ; but I am fure I mall make no enemies upon this- 

 difpute." — u You are deceived, fays he ; unlefs you tell your 

 opinion in this country you are reckoned an enemy to both 

 parties. Stay, therefore, all night, and do not appear on the 

 ftreets ;" and, upon my telling them I was going to Tecla 

 Mariana's,, who was ill, they role with me to go thither, 



for 



