THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 7 



The two fifters had been out helping my fervants in dif- 

 pofiig the baggage ; but when they had pitched my tent, 

 and were about to lay the mattrefs for fleeping on, the el- 

 deft of thefe interrupted them, and not being able to make 

 herfelf underftood by the Greeks, Ihe took it up and threw 

 it out of the tent-door, whilft no abufe or opprobrious names 

 were fpared by my fervants ; one of whom came to tell me 

 her impudence, and that if they underftood her, fhe faid I 

 was to fleep with her this night, and they believed we were 

 got into a houfe of thieves and murderers. To this I an- 

 fwered by a fharp reproof, defiring them to conform to 

 every thing the family ordered them. I faw the fair nymph 

 was in a violent paffion ; flie told her tale to the matrons 

 with great energy, and a volubility of tongue paft imagina- 

 tion, and they ail laughed. Fafil's wife called me to fit by 

 her, and began to inftru(5t m-e, drolly enotigh, as they do 

 children, but of what fhe faid I had not the fmalleft guefs^ 

 I endeavoured always to repeat her laft words, and this oc- 

 cafioned anotlier vehement laugh, in which I joined as 

 heartily as any, to keep up the joke, for the benefit of the 

 company, as long as pofiible- 



Immediately after this Welled Amlac arrived, and 

 brought us the difagreeable news, that it was impoflible ta 

 proceed to the ford of the Abay, as two of the neighbour- 

 ing Shums were at variance about their refpecftive dillriiSls, 

 and in a day or two would decide it by blows. The faces 

 of all our companions fell at thefe news ; but as I knew the 

 man, it gave me little trouble, as 1 fuppofed the meaning to- 

 be, that, if we made it worth while, he would accompany us 

 h^mfelf, and in that cafe we lliould pafs without fear : at 

 ajiy rate, I well knew that, after the obligations I had laid 



kimi 



