284 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



pan ion on the mule was a liar, and that I fliould not be a- 

 fraid, for there was no danger on the road, and that Ayto 

 Confu would be at Tcherkin as foon as I ; fiom which, and 

 his faying juft the contrary to you, I do believe the whole is 

 a Aratagem of the king. 



All agreed in this. Hagi Ifmacl mentioned it as a proof 

 of the worthleffnefs of Chriftians, that even their kings 

 wei-e as great liars as common men; and we hadfcarcely 

 done with this confuhation, and difpelled our fears, when 

 word was brought to the tent, that the chiefs of two of 

 the principal villages were at the door, defiring to be ad- 

 mitted, and had with them feveral fervants loaded with 

 provifions. They were immediately introduced, and they 

 prefcnted us with two goats, feveral jars of bouza, and 

 a quantity of bread, which I divided among my retinue, 

 now become half Chriftians and half Mahometans, neither 

 of whom ate meat killed by the other. 



After tlie firil civilities were over, I afked the governor 

 of Waalia ail the queftions that were needful about the 

 ftate of the roads and the country, and whether the Shan- 

 galla ever made an attempt upon Tcherkin ? They faid, All 

 was 'peace ; that the people came and went to the market 

 without being interrupted. They laughed at the queftion 

 about the Shangalla. Ayto Confu, they faid, fometimes 

 went down and deilroyed many of that people, and brought 

 others away as flaves ; but the Shangalla w^ere not men to at- 

 tack a place where there was a number of horfe, nor toclimb 

 mountains to deftrov houfes well ftored with fire-arms. 

 Have yon, faid I, fecn nobody pafs by from Ayto Confu 

 lately ? About four or five days ago, anfwered he, a fervant 

 was here, with orders to have viduals ready for you ; who 



alfo 



