THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. e§i 



left it fix miles, at leaft, on our left hand, and the baggage 

 near half a mile behind, when I met two men very decent- 

 ly dreiTed ; one mounted on a mule, the other on foot; both 

 of them armed with lances and fhields, and both feemed 

 furprifed to fee a man on horfeback alone completely arm-. 

 ed. The rider pafTed by at a very quick pace, apparently 

 not defirous of any intercourfe with me. The man on foot 

 at palling faluted me with a Salain AUcum ; by which I knew 

 him to be a Mahometan, and we were about to enter in- 

 to converfation, when his neighbour called to him, with 

 feeming impatience. He immediately left me, faying only 

 thefe fhort fentences, " He there before is a Chriltian, and 

 a liar ; don't be afraid, Ayto Confu will be at Tcherkin as 

 foon as ycu." 



Upon this we parted, I palTed on fomething more than 

 a mile further, and at ten minutes after twelve Hopped 

 for the baggage. The Mahaanah is here about a quarter 

 of a mile to the N. E. and the fliarp-pointed mountain of 

 Gutch S. E. and by eaft, diftance about three miles. It was 

 fome time before our baggage came up, when our compa- 

 nions who efcorted it exhibitedfome fmall marks of confufion. 



The Turk was bluflering violently in Turkifli, and fet- 

 ting all at defiance, wilhing to be attacked by a hundred 

 that minute ; the others feemed to be much more mode- 

 rate, and not to agree with Hagi Ifmael, either in time or 

 in nmrrber, but were very willing to be exempted from at- 

 tacks altogether. I afkcd them what was the occafion of 

 all this warlike difcouvfe from Ifmael, who fcarcely fpoke 

 Arabic fo as to be underfliood ? I could learn nothing but 

 threats againil the Chriilians. At lail, the fervants told me, 



Vol. IV. N n that 



