THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 545 



cere attachment I had myfclf to her, as one of the mod 

 lovely and amiahle women in the world ; me was the mo- 

 ther of my moft intimate friend Ayto Confu, and the wife of 

 Ras Michael, over whom me had every day more and more 

 influence, and I had long fufpe&ed that the young king, 

 my conftant benefactor, had contracted a decided tender- 

 nefs for her. To have returned, would have been nothing 

 had the danger or trouble been much greater ; but it was 

 obvioufly impofiible another opportunity mould offer : the 

 country was now on the point of being plunged into a de- 

 gree of diforder greater than that which had occafioned 

 the retreat of the king to Tigre. I therefore refolved to run 

 the rifk of continuing for a time under the imputation of 

 the fouled and bafeft of all fins, that of ingratitude to 

 my benefactors ; and I am confident, had it been the will 

 of heaven that I had died in that journey, the confideration 

 of my lying with apparent reafon under that imputation 

 would have been one of the moft bitter reflections of my 

 laft moments. Having, therefore, taken my refolution, I 

 acquainted Guebra Mariam that an immediate return was 

 abfolutely impofiible ; but that I mould endeavour, with 

 the utmoft of my power, to make a fpeedy one ; in the 

 mean time, 1 fent word to the Greek prieft (who was a fort 

 of phyfician) how he was to proceed in the interim during 

 my abfence. 



We had now left Maitfha by crofling the river Kelti. I 

 mall only add, to what I have already faid, that it is a very 

 fruitful country, but fo flat that the water with difficulty 

 runs off after the tropical rains, and this occafions its being 

 for feveral months unhealthy. Several tribes of Galla, from 

 the.fouth of the Nile, were fettled here by Yafous the Great, 



Vol. III. 3 z and 



