THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 



57 



which the fervant, going back, brought a drum, and beat 

 it upon the rock, crying, as in a proclamation, " Yagoube 

 is Governor of Ras el Feel, Commander of the king's black 

 horfe, Lord of Geefli, andGentleman of the king's bed-cham- 

 ber." Here this farce, the contrivance of Ayto Confu, end- 

 ed. With him were many more of the king's fervants, my 

 old acquaintances, and we all fat down by a fpring-well, 

 under the Ihade of the rock, to a hearty breakfaft prepar- 

 ed for us by Ozoro Efther. 



After this was finifhed with a great deal of chearful- 

 nefs, and being ready to get on horfeback, we faw a man 

 running towards us in great fpeed, who, upon his arrival, 

 alked us where the king was, and if we were his Fit-Aura- 

 ris ? To this we made him no anfwcr ; but, laying hold of 

 him, obliged him to declare his errand. He faid that he 

 was a fervant of Negade Ras Mahomet, of Dara, who had 

 apprehended Ayto Confu, brother of Guebra Mchedin, of 

 whom I have fpoken at large, (never for any good) and that 

 he had brought him along with him. This mifcreant, 

 whom we had found out to be the principal ador and per- 

 fuader of the robbery of my houfe, while in a drunken frolic 

 with the wretched Socinios, was now in his way before the 

 king, where, if all his delinquency had been known, 

 he would infallibly have loll his eyes, his life, or both. He 

 was nephew to the Iteghe, as has been already mentioned, 

 fon to her brother Balha Eufebius, and confequently coufm- 

 german to Ayto Confu himfelf, who, with great diffidence, 

 alked me if I could pardon his coufin, and allow him to be 

 delivered out of Mahomet's hands, which, ill as he defervedof 

 me, I very readily complied with; for I would not for the world 



Vol. IV. H have 



