THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 57 



faid had fent to him to defire that I might not be allowed 

 to proceed to the head of the Nile, and that from no other 

 reafon but a hatred to me as a Frank. We bowed to each 

 other as two not very great friends, and he immediately 

 began a very dry, ill-natured, admonitory difcourfe, ad- 

 drefled, for the greatell part, to Ozoro Ellher, explaining to 

 her the mifchief of fufFering Franks to remain at liberty in 

 the country and meddle in aiFairs. I interrupted him by 

 a laugh, and by faying, If it is me, father*, you mean by the 

 word Frank, I have, without your advice, gone where I in- 

 tended, and returned in fafety ; and as for your coimtry, I 

 will give you a very handfome prefent to put me fafely 

 out of it, in any direiflion you pleafe, to-morrow — the foon-- 

 er the better. 



At this inftant Ayto Confu came into his mother's 

 apartment, caught the laft words which I had faid, and afl^ed 

 of me, in a very angry tone of voice. Who is he that wiihcs 

 you out of the country ? — " I do, fmcerely and heartily, faid 

 I, for one ; but what you laft heard was in confequence of a 

 friendly piece of advice that Abba Salama here has been 

 giving me." — " Father, father, fays Confu, turning to him 

 very fternly, do you not think the meafure of your good 

 deeds is yet near full? Do you not fee this place, Kafmati 

 Eflitc's houfe, furrounded by the troops of my father Mi- 

 chael, and do you ftill think yourfelf in fafety, when you 

 have fo lately excommunicated both the King and Ras ? 

 Look you, fays he, turning to his mother, what dogs the 

 people of this country are ; that Pagan there, who calls 

 himfelf a Chriftian, did charitably recommend it to Fafd to 

 rob or murder Yagoube, a ftranger oiFending nobody, whea 

 be got him among his Galla in Damot: this did not fuc- 



ceed- 



