THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 89 



gagement I was under in my own country was not fulfill- 

 ed, and I recovered my health, I fhould bring as many of 

 my brethren and family as poflible, with their horfes, muf- 

 kets, and bayonets ; that, if I could not pafs by Sennaar, 

 I fliould come by the way of the Eaft Indies from Surat to 

 Mafuah, which, by how much it was more tedious, was by 

 fo much more fecure, than that by Sennaar. 



. I CANNOT but hope, the impoffibility of performing this 

 oath extinguifhed the fin of breaking it ; at any rate, it was 

 perfonal, and the fubfequent death of the king * muft have 

 freed me from it ; be that as it will, it had this good effedV, 

 that it greatly compofed my mind for the time, as I now 

 no longer confidered myfelf as involved in that ancient and 

 general I'ule of the country, Never to allow a ftranger to re- 

 turn to his home. We that night learned, that the king had 

 been in great flraits ever fince he came from Tigre ; that 

 the Ras, who was polTefTed of all the revenues of the provin- 

 ces that were in their allegiance, had never yet given the 

 king an ounceof gold; and that he furnifhedhis daily fubfifl- 

 ence from his own houfe, a cow for his own and great officers 

 table, and two loaves of bread fo~r each of his fervants ; as 

 fmall an allowance as any private perfon gave. It was be- 

 lieved that the Ras had left moft of his money in Tigre, and 

 had trufted to the contributions' he was to levy upon the 

 great men whenever he fliould crofs the Tacazze; but in 

 this he difappointed himfelf by his cruelty, for no perfon 



Vol. IV. M came 



* It was reported, when I was at Sennaar, that the king had been defeated and /lain. I 

 have no other authority, only thiak, all things confidered, it was rnoft probable. 



