THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. Itf 



aoo yards from the bridge, upon ground equally plain 

 as the former, the mule fell again, and threw the Ras ano- 

 ther time in the dirt, on which a general murmur and 

 groan was heard from all his attendants, for every body 

 interpreted this as an omen that his power and fortune 

 / were gone from him for ever. Another mule was fpeedily 

 brought, but he refufed to mount it, and we pafTed on by 

 the Mahometan town, and up to Confu's houfe, by Aylo 

 Meidan. I could not, however, help refleding how juftly 

 the Ras was now punifhed for the murder of the fmgers in 

 that very fpot, when he returned from Mariam-Ohha and 

 entered Gondar. The king went dire^ftly to the palace, the 

 Ras to his own houfe, and, by the fecretary's advice, I went 

 with him to that of the Abuna, where I left my Greek fer- 

 vants with my gold chain, and fome trifles I wanted to pre- 

 ferve, together with my inilruments. I then drefTed myfelf 

 in the habit of peace, and returned to the palace, where, re- 

 membering the advice of Gullio, I refolved to exped my fate 

 with the king. Upon feeing me with the fore part of my 

 head fhaven, and remembering the caufe, as his firft mark 

 of favour he ordered me to cover my head, a thing other- 

 wife not permitted in the king's prefence to any of his 

 houfehold. 



The king's fervants brought meabuU's hide for my bed; 

 :and although many a night I have wanted reil upon lefs 

 dangerous occafions, I fcarcely ever flept more foundly, till 

 I heard the cracking of the whips of che Serach MalTery, 

 about five o'clock in the morning of the 29th. He performs 

 this funiftion much louder than a French poililion upon 

 finilhing a poft, it being the fignal for the king to rife. There 

 was, indeed, no occafion for this cuilom, now there was no 



F f 2 court, 



