ftjS TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



divers figns, which we could not, neither did we endea- 

 vour to underftand. Another fliot, aimed at the trees a- 

 bove them, fliewed they were dill within our reach, upon 

 which they difperfed, or fat down among the bufhes, for 

 we faw them no more, till pitching our tent upon the 

 plain below two of their villages ; it feemed they were un- 

 eafy, for they had difpatched a man naked, and without 

 arms, who, Handing upon the rock, cried out in the lan- 

 guage of Tigre, that he wanted to come to us. This I 

 abfolutely refufed, that he might not fee the fmallnefs of 

 our number, crying out to him to get farther off, or we 

 would inftantly fhoot him. There was no occafion to re- 

 peat the admonition. From the rock where he Hood, he 

 flid down like an eel, and appeared again at a confider- 

 able diftance, ftill making a fign of wanting to fpeak with 

 ■us. 



While refling on the banks of the river Mogetch, we had 

 been overtaken by two men, and two women, who were 

 driving two loaded alTes, and were going to Tcherkin; they 

 had delired leave to keep company with us, for fear of dan- 

 ger on the road. I had two Abyilinian fervants, but they 

 were not yet come up, attending one of the baggage mules 

 that was lame, as they faid ; but I believe, rather bufied 

 with fome engagements of their own in the villages. We 

 were obliged then to have recourfe to one of thefe llranger 

 women, who underftood the language of Tigre, and un- 

 dertook readily to carry our meflage to the ftranger, who 

 was ftill very bufy making figns from behind a tree, with- 

 ovLt coming one ftep nearer. 



/L My 



