THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. .291 



that night, and was fent to fearch for us, as we feemed to 

 have tarried on the road. He had brought two mules, in 

 cafe any of ours had been tired, and propofed that the next 

 morning I fhould fet out with him alone for Tcherkin, 

 where I fliould find Ayto Confu, and my baggage ilioukl 

 follow me. I told him that it was my fixed refolution, made 

 at the beginning of my journey, and which I fliould ad- 

 here to till the. end, never to feparate myfelf on the road 

 from my fervants and company, who were ftrangers, and 

 without any other protedion than that of being with me. 



The man continued to prefs meallthat evening very much, 

 £0 that we were greatly furprifed at what he could mean, 

 and I ftill more and more refolved not to gratify him. Often 

 I thought he wanted to communicate fomething to me, but 

 he refrained, and I continued obftinate ; and the rather fo, 

 as there was no certainty that Ayto Confu was yet arrived. 

 I aflced him, if Billetana Gueta Ammonios was not at Tcher- 

 kin ? He anfwered, without the fmalleft alteration in his 

 countenance, that he was not. No people on earth dilTemble 

 like the AbyiTmians ; this talent is born with them, and 

 they improve it by continual pradice. As we had there- 

 fore previouily refolved, we paffed the evening at Eggir Dem- 

 bic, and the fervant, finding he could not prevail, left our 

 tent and we all went to bed. He did not feem angry, but 

 at going out of the tent, faid, as half to himfelf, " 1 cannot 

 blame you; in fuch a journey nothing is like firmnefs." 



On the 2d of January, in the morning, by feven o'clock, 

 having dreiTcd my hair, and perfumed it according to the 

 cuilom of the country, and put on clean clothes, with no 

 other arms but my knife, and a pair of piflolg at my girdle, 



Q Q 2 1 came 



