THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 1S3 



While this converfation was going on, an extraordinary 

 buftle was obferved in the crowd, and this unquiet genius 

 pulliing through it with great violence, his goat's ikin upon 

 his flioulders, and covered with dull and fweat, in the fame 

 manner he came from the field ; he had heard 1 was gone 

 to the king's tent with the red flag, and not doubting I was 

 to complain of him,orpraife myfelf at his expence, had di- 

 rectly followed me, without giving himfelf time to make the 

 leaft inquiry. He threw himfelf fuddenly, with his face to 

 the ground, before the throne, and rifmg as quickly, and in 

 violent agitation, he faid to the king, or rather bellowed, 

 very indecently, "It is a lie Yagoube is telling; he does not 

 fay the truth; I meant him no harm but good to day, and 

 he did not underftand my language. I don't fay Yagoube is 

 not as good a man as any of us, but it is a lie he has been^ 

 telling now, and 1 will prove it." 



A GENERAL filence followed this wild rhapfody; the king 

 •was furprifed, and very gravely faid, I am forry, for your 

 fake, if it is a lie ; for my part, I was rafli enough to believe 

 it was true. Guebra Mafcal was ftill going to make bad 

 worfe, by fome abfurd reply, when the fecretary, and one or 

 two of his friends, hauled him out behind, the throne to 

 one of the apartments within, not without fome refiftance, 

 every one fuppofmg, and many faying, he was drunk ; the 

 king was lilent, but appeared exceedingly difpleafed, when 

 I fell upon the ground before him, (a form of afldng leave 

 to fpeak upon any particular fubjedt) and rifmg faid, Sir, 

 Wivh great fubmiflion, it is not, I apprehend, true, that Gue- 

 bra Mafcal IS drunk, as fome have raflily faid now in your 

 prcfence; we have all ate and drank, and changed our 

 cloathiiig fmce the battle 5 but this man, who has been on 



foot: 



