136 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



being frightened at the Arabs with their Hbds, had thrown 

 him, after which he had run off and left the horfe among 

 the enemy. He begged to have his horfe redored at any 

 price, if the man that had taken him was allowed to fell 

 him. He at the fame time fcnt a prefent of a large quan- 

 tity of fruit and frefli filh from the lake. The meffenger 

 was a priefl well known by Ras Michael, and warmly at- 

 tached to the king, and it was thought came with an er- 

 rand of more confequence than either about the horfe or 

 the fifh. The Ras fent him for his anfwer to the King, who 

 told him, the horfe being taken by the troops of Ras el 

 Feel, belonged to me, and with me he mull make his bar- 

 gain : that I was at Gondar, and my return uncertain ; but 

 that the next day he might have my anfwer. This v/as the 

 better to conceal the prieft's real bufinefs, for the King and 

 Ras knew how they were to difpofe of the horfe ; at leaft 

 they certainly knew I was not to return him without their 

 orders. 



The morning after my arrival this fame priefl: came to 

 me with a melTage from Guflio, defiring I would fend him 

 his horfe, as a proof of the friendihip which he faid had al- 

 ways fubfifted between us, at the fame time offering me any 

 fum of money that I might have promifcd to content the 

 foldiers who took him. As I had before obtained leave 

 from Ras Michael to rcftore the horfe, fo I did it with the 

 very bed grace poffdile, fending Yafine himfelf, chief of the 

 troops of Ras el Feel, with the melFage to Guflio, that I rec- 

 koned myfclf exceedingly happy in having that opportunity 

 of obliging him, and of fhcwing the value I had ever fet 

 upon his fricndflaip"; that he very well knew the little re- 

 gard I had for money, and that the foldier who took the 

 I horfe 



