THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 419 



poilible, leaving the refl to heaven." — " "Well, fays he, I 

 mall do fo. I think, likewife, for your comfort, that, barring 

 unforefeen accidents, you may do it at this time, without 

 great danger. Guebra Mehedin will not come between this 

 town and Alata, becaufe we are all one people, and the killing 

 two men, and wounding Mahomet's fon, makes him a dim* 

 menia*. At Alata he knows the Shum is ready to receive 

 him as he deferves, and he is himfelf afraid of Kafmati 

 Ayabdar, with whom he is as deep in guilt as with us, and 

 here he well knows he dare not venture for many reafons." 

 " Ayabdar, faid I, pafled the Karoota three days ago." 

 " Well, well, replied Mahomet, fo much the better. Ayabdar 

 has the leprofy, and goes every year once, fometimes twice, 

 to the hot wells at Lebec ; they muft pafs near one another, 

 and that is the reafon Guebra Mehedin has aiTembled all 

 thefe banditti of horfe about him. He is a beggar, and a 

 fpendthrift ; a fortnight ago he fent to me to borrow twen- 

 ty ounces of gold. You may be fure I did not lend it him; 

 he is too much in my debt already ; and I hope Ras Michael 

 will give you his head in your hand before winter, for the 

 fhameful action he has been guilty of to you and yours 

 this day. 



" Woodage Asahel, faid I, what fay you of him?" — 

 4i Why, you know, replied Mahomet, nobody can inform 

 you about his motions, as he is perpetually on horfeback, 

 and never refts night nor day; however, he has no bufinefs 

 on this fide of the water, the rather that he muft be fure 

 Ras Michael, when he pafled here, took with him all the 



3 G 2 king's 



* Guilty of our blood, and fubjefl to the laws of retaliation. 



