THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. x6i 



He himfelf (the fobereft of men) would drink his horn full, 

 which he did, with many interruptions from immoderate 

 fits of laughter ; the horn went quickly round, and I ven- 

 tured to prophecy, that, in the thoufand years he is to reign, 

 Thcodorus will never again be fo chearfuUy toafted.— 



The Ras then turning to me faid, I wifli I had 5000 of your 

 countrymen, Yagoube, to-morrow, fuch as you are, or fuch 

 as you have defcribed them. I anfwered. Would you had 

 one thoufand, and I had twenty lives llaked upon the iflue. 

 Ayto Engedan upon this got up, and palling acrofs the tent 

 in a very graceful manner, kifled the Ras's hand, faying. Do 

 not make us think you undervalue, ordiftruft yourchildren, 

 by forming fuch a wifh : Yagoube is one of us, he is our 

 brother, and he Ihall fee and judge to-morrow, if we, your 

 own fons, are not able to fight your battle without the aid 

 of any foreigners. Tears, on this, came into the old man's 

 eyes, who took Engedan in his arms, and kifled him ; then 

 recommending to us not to {n up late, he withdrew. A great 

 .deal of buffoonery followed about toads, and foon after 

 arrived two officers from the king, dcfiring to know what 

 was the reafon of that violent outcry ? by which he meant 

 the fliout when we drank the toall. Ozoro Eflher anfwered, 

 We were all turned traitors, and were drinking the health of 

 king Theodorus. But it was afterwards thought proper to 

 explain the whole matter before the melTengers went back, 

 and make them drink the toaft alfo, 



Tecla "Mariam had not fpoken much, her father having 

 fent for her at that time to the king. Before flie departed, 

 I begged Ozoro Eilher to apologife for me, that I had ab- 

 fented myfelf, and had not waited upon her in the morn- 



VoL. IV. X ing^ 



