THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 



fered no other civility or falutation, but, fhaking me each by 

 the hand, they played on,without lifting their heads, or look- 

 ing me in the face. 



Gusho began by afking me, " Would it not have been 

 better if you had gone with me to Amhara, as I defired you, 

 when I faw you laft at Gondar ? you would have faved your- 

 felf a great deal of fatigue and trouble in that dangerous 

 march through Maitfha." To this I anfwered, " It is hard 

 for me, who am a flranger, to know what is belt to be done 

 in fuch a country as this. I was, as you may have heard, 

 the king's gueft, and was favoured by him ; it was my duty 

 therefore to attend him, efpecially when he defired it; and 

 fuch I am informed has always been the cuftom of the coun- 

 try; befides, Ras Michael laid his commands upon me." On 

 this, fays Powuffen, fhaking his head, " You fee he cannot 

 forget Michael and the Tigre yet." — " Very naturally, added 

 Gufho, they were good to him ; he was a great man in their 

 time ; they gave him confiderable fums of money, and he 

 fpent it all among his own foldiers, the king's guard, which 

 they had given him to command after the Armenian. Ya- 

 goube taught him and his brother George to ride on horfe- 

 back like the Franks, and play tricks with guns and pikes 

 on horfeback ; folly, all of it to be fure, but I never heard 

 he meddled in affairs, or that he fpoke ill of any one, much 

 lefs did any harm, like thofe rafcals the Greeks when they 

 were in favour in Joas's time, for it was not their fault they 

 did not direct every thing." — " I hope I never did, faid I; fure 

 I am I never fo intended, nor had I any provocation. I have 

 received much good ufage from every one ; and the honour, 

 if I do not forget, of a great many profeffions and affurances 

 of friendihip from you, faid I, turning to Gufho. He hefi- 



3 P 2 tated 



