THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 523 



this time ; the Ras has work enough on his hands for the reft 

 of his life." "What work ? faid I." "Why, the mountain," re- 

 plies he." "The mountain Aromata!" "The fame, fays he; you 

 never faw fuch a place; Lamalmon, and all the mountains of 

 Abyffmia, are nothing to it : he was, when at the prime of 

 life, fifteen years in taking it from this Netcho's father." " But 

 he has been luckier this time, replied I, by fourteen years." 

 " How!" fays he, with fome amafement." " Pardon me, faid I, 

 if I have unawares told you unwelcome news ; but the moun- 

 tain is taken, the garrifon put to the fword, and Za Menfus, 

 after furrendering, flain, in cold blood by Guebra Mafcal, 

 in revenge for the death of his father." Fafd had in his 

 hand a blue cut-glafs goblet, gilt round the edges with gold. 

 I had bought it at Cairo, with feveral other articles of the 

 fame kind, from a merchant who procured them from 

 Triefte. I had given it to the king, who drank out of it 

 himfelf, and had fent it as an honourable token to Fafil 

 from Dingleber, the day when they made peace, after the 

 battle of Limjour. Upon hearing what I laid, he threw it 

 violently upon the ground, and broke it into a thoufand 

 ■pieces. " Take care what you fay, Yagoube, fays he, take care 

 .this be not a lie ; tell it me again." I told him the whole cir- 

 cumftances from beginning to end ; how the news had come 

 .to the iteghe— who had brought the intelligence — how it had 

 .come from the Ras to Ozoro Either — and how Kefla Yafous 

 had furprifed the mountain by treachery, having full lulled 

 -the befieged afleep by a negociation, and a propofed media- 

 tion of the priefts and hermits. GnthisFafilobferved,itwas the 

 very way Michael took it lad time ; and, putting his forefinger 

 in his mouth, bit it very hard, crying, Fool, fool, was he not 

 warned? We all were again dilraiiied from the tent, and ilaid 



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