THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. ei? 



ss the matter ?"— " Get up, cries he, quickly, for we fhall all 

 be cut to pieces in a minute." — " Then hang me, faid I, if 

 I don't lie ftill, for if I have no longer to live, it is not worth 

 while to drefs." — " Fafil (continued he) has furprifed the 

 camp, and gives no quarter." — " Fafd ! faid I, impollible: 

 but go to the guard commanded by Laeca Mariam, and if 

 he has a horfe ready faddled bring him to me." 



On this Francifco catchedVp a lance and flileld that were 

 in my tent, for fear of danger in the way, and ran off. In 

 a minute he returned to afk the -word. " Googue, faid 1, is 

 the parole, (it lignifies Owl.) A curfe upon his facher, fays, 

 he, (meaning the owl's father), and a curfe upon thc-ir 

 fathers who gave fuch unlucky words for the parole at 

 night ; no wonder misfortunes happen, fays he, in Greek : 

 he then returned to the guard under Laeca Mariam. In 

 the mean time, furveying the camp around, I could not 

 help doubting the truth of this alarm ; for not a foul was 

 ftirring about ICefla Yafous's tent, and the light fcarcelyburn- 

 ing. Un the other hand, however, there Teemed feveral in t:ie 

 tent of the Ras, and people moving abcut it, though the 

 Tigre guard around v^ere quiet, who, I 'Knew well, would 

 have been alarmed by the motion of a moufe. 



There was, however, Hill a light, and an unufual noife in 

 the upper end of the camp to the N. h. Francifco now re- 

 turned from the king's tent, and, without my fpeaking to 

 him, faid, in a great palfion, " Thofe black fellows are all 

 become mad ; you don't keep them in any fort of order." 

 *' Has Laeca Mariam got ready a horfe for me, faid I ; where 

 is he ?" — " When I delivered your orders, replied Francifco, 

 to have a horfe ready for you, he faid there were fifty, but 

 did not fuppofe you intended gallopnig to-night." Fran- 



VoL. IV. Ec cifco 



