574 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



moreover, undertake, that we fhall gain more by this than 

 by any other method we could have purfued." " There is? 

 one thing, however, fays Woldo, you would not furely have 

 me free them the dues paid by every village where a king's 

 fervant is employed to conduct flrangers, as I am you." " No, 

 no, I do not go fo near as that ; we fhall only buy what you 

 would have otherwiie taken by force for my ufe." 



" Some years ago, fays Woldo, when I was a young man, 

 in king Yafous's time, a white man, called Negade Ras 

 Georgis, had both Geefh and Sacala given him by the king ; 

 he went there twice a-year, and ftaid a month or more at a 

 time ; he was a great hunter and drinker, and a devil for 

 the women ; he not only fpent what he got from the vil- 

 lage, but all the money he brought from Gondar into the 

 bargain ; it was a jovial time, as I have heard ; all was mer- 

 riment : The firft day he came there, fome of the men of 

 Sacala, out of fport, difputing with three of the Agows of 

 Zeegam, fell to it with their knives anil lances, and four 

 men were killed in an inftant upon the fpot ; fine flout 

 fellows, every one like a lion ; good men all of them ; there 

 are no fuch days feen now, unlefs they come about when, 

 you are there, and then 1 fhall have my fliare of every thing'". 

 ** WoldOjfaid I, with all my heart; I fhallbe other wife employ- 

 ed ; but you mall be at perfect liberty to partake of every 

 fport, always excepting thediverfion of killing four men." Eur 

 I had obferved this day, with fome furprife, that he doubt- 

 ed feveral times whether we were on the way to the foun- 

 tains of the Nile or not ; and I did not think this profpect 

 of entertainment which I held out to him was received 

 with fuch joy as I expected, or as if he meant to partake of 

 it. 



St RATES 



