THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 49 



pulled out in a moment, and your caixafe to be thrown to 

 the dogs." 



What he faid was true ; bad kings have mofl execu- 

 tioners. I was not, however, difmayed ; I was in my own 

 mind, flranger and alone, fuperior to fuch a beaft upon a 

 throne. " The Iteghe, faid I, is at prefent at Kofcam, and 

 will inform you if I told her of any gold that was ftolen from 

 me, except a gold-mounted knife which the late king gave 

 me at Dingleber the day after the battle of Limjour, and 

 which was accidentally left in my houfe, as I had not worn 

 it fmce he went to Tigre." He fquirted at this moment an 

 arch of tobacco-fpittle towards me, whether on purpofe or 

 not I do not know. I felt myfelf very much moved; it nar- 

 rowly miffed me. At this inftant an old man, of a noble 

 appearance, who fat in a corner of the room next him, got 

 up, and, in a firm tone of voice, faid, " I can bear this no 

 longer ; we fliall become a proverb, and the hatred of all 

 mankind. What have you to do with Yagoube, or why did 

 you fend for him ? he was favoured by the late king, but 

 not more than 1 have feen Greeks or Armenians in all the 

 late reigns ; and yet thefe very people confefs, in their own 

 country, they are not worthy of being his fervants. He is 

 a friend, not only to the king, but to us all : the whole peo- 

 ple love him. As for myfelf, I never fpoke to him twice 

 before ; when he might have gone to Tigre with Mi- 

 chael his friend, he flaid at Gondar with us : fo you, of all 

 others, have lead reafon to complain of him, fmce he has 

 preferred you to the Ras, tho' you have given him nothing. 

 As for riding, I wifli Yagoube had juft rode with you as 

 much as with Tecia Haimanout, and you fpent as much 

 time with him as your predeceffor did; laft night's difgrace 



Vol. IV. G would 



