THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 215 



her father, who, gueTing by my countenance I had fome- 

 thing material to communicate, fentheron her vifit, and fo 

 we were left alone. 



As he was a man with whom I had always lived in the 

 mofl confidential friendihip, and knew the fame fubfifted 

 between him and the king, I made no fcruple to tell him, 

 word for word, what I had heard from Gufho, and Enge- 

 dan's fervant. He faid, without any feeming furprife, Why, 

 we are all worn out, but Hate all this to the king. Soon 

 after, came in the flave who had the charge of the king's 

 bed-chamber, and told the fecretary that the king found 

 himfelf well, only wanted to know what he fhould drink. 

 I ordered him fome water, with fome ripe tamarinds, a li- 

 quor he ufually took in time of Lent. See him and advife 

 him yourfelf, fays the fecretary. I accordingly went in, 

 and told the king the whole llory. He feemed to be in 

 great agiration, repeating frequently, " O God ! O God ! O 

 Guebra Menfus Kedus*!"— " Who is this Guebra Menfus 

 Kedus ?" faid 1 afterwards to Tecla Mariam, who in his 

 heart believed in him no more than I did. " Why, anfwer- 

 ed he gravely, he is a great faint, who never ate or drank 

 from his mother's womb till his death, faid mafs at Jerufa- 

 lem every day, and came home at night in form of a ftork." 

 —" But a bad regimen his, faid I, for fuch violent exercife." 

 — " That is not all, fays Tecla Mariam, he fought wirh the 

 devil once in Tigre, and threw him over the rock Amba Sa- 

 1am, and killed him."—" I wifli you joy, faid I, this h good 

 news indeed." All this converfation had pafled in half a 



whifpcn 



*■ Servant of the Holy Ghoft. 



