416 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



homewards acrofs the plain, as they apprehended, from fear 

 of the approach of our party. He had, indeed, for fome days, 

 been guilty of great irregularities ; had flain two men, and 

 wounded the fon of Mahomet, the Shum, or chief of Alata, 

 in attempting to take from him the revenue due from that 

 territory to the king ; after which they had been beat back 

 by Mahomet without their booty, and nothing more was 

 known of them. 



This brought us to Negade Ras Mahomet's houfe, who 

 killed a cow for Netcho, or rather allowed him to kill one 

 for himfelf ; for it is equal to a renunciation of Chriftianity 

 to eat meat when the beaft is flaughtered by a Mahometan. 

 Sn ates, who from his infancy, in his own country, had fared 

 on nothing elfe, was not fo fcrupulous, though he conceal- 

 ed it ; he therefore had a very hearty fupper privately with 

 Negade Ras Mahomet and his family, who very willingly 

 promifed to get his new cloaths ready by the next morn- 

 ing. 



As I was myfelf, however, full of thoughts upon the dif- 

 ficulties and dangers I was already engaged in, and of the 

 profpecl: of ftill greater before me, I had no ftomach for 

 either of their fuppers, but ordered fome coffee, and went 

 to bed. After I lay down I defired Negade Ras Mahomet to 

 come to me, and, when we were alone, I interrogated him 

 if he knew any thing of the rebellion in Begemder. At 

 firft he declared he did not ; he laughed at the no- 

 tion of Guebra Mehedin and Confu being Fit-Auraris to 

 Gufho and PowufTen, and faid, that either of thefe generals 

 would hang them the firft time they came into their hands. 

 ■He told me, however, that Woodage Afaliel had been affem- 

 3 blin g 



