THE SOURCE OF THE NILfi. 529 



nothing : the Iteghe will deliver them to you. The only 

 other thing I have done to them was, I got them baptifed * 

 I do not know if that will difpleafe them ; I did it as an 

 additional protection to them, and to give them a title to 

 the charity of the people of Gondar." " As for that, fays he, 

 they don't care the leaft about baptifm ; it will neither do 

 them good nor harm ; they don't trouble themfelves about 

 thefe matters ; give them meat and drink, and you will be 

 very welcome to baptife them all from morning to night ; 

 after fuch good care thefe Galla are all your brethren, 

 they will die for you before they fee you hurt." He then faid 

 fomething to them in Galla again, and they all gave ano- 

 ther affent, and made a ihew of killing my hand. 



They fat down ; and, I muft own, if they entertained any 

 good-will to me, it was not difcernible in their counte- 

 nances. " Bciides this, continued Faul, you was very kind and 

 courteous to my fervants while at Gondar, and faid many 

 favourable things of me before the king; you fent me apre- 

 fent alfo, and above all, when Joas my mailer's body was 

 dug up from the church-yard of St Raphael, and all Gon- 

 dar were afraid to fliew it the leaft refpecl, dreading the 

 vengeance of Ras Michael, you, a flranger, who had never 

 teen him, nor received benefit from him, at your own ex- 

 pence paid that attention to his remains which would have 

 better become many at Gondar, and me in particular, had 

 I been within reach, or had intelligence of the matter : now, 

 before all thefe men, afk me any thing you have at heart, 

 and, be it what it may, they know I cannot deny it you." He 

 delivered this in a tone and graceful nefs of manner, fuperior, 

 I think, to any thing I had ever before feen, although the A- 

 byfiinians are all orators, as, indeed, are moll barbarians. 

 'voL.IU. 3 X « Why 



