THESOURCEOFTHENILE. 325 



Yasine had done every thing, 011 his part, to fccure mc 

 a good reception from Fidele bhekh of Atbara. Every af- 

 furance pollible had been given, and 1 had before travelled 

 fome thoufand miles upon much llighter promifes, which 

 had, however, been always faithfully kept ; fo that I did 

 not at all fufped that any thing unfair could be intended 

 me at Teawa, where Fidele relided. But as the lofs of life 

 was the confequence of being miftaken, I never did omit 

 any means to double my fecurity. 



Mahomet Gibberti, as we have before obferved, had al- 

 ready carried a lerrer of mine fromGondar to hh mailer Meti- 

 cal Aga,SelicT:arto the Sherriffe of Mecca in Arabia, requefting 

 that he would write to fome man of confideration in Sennaar, 

 and, taking it for granted that I was then arrived at i'eawa, 

 defire that a fervant of the king might be fent to give me 

 fafe condu(ft from that frontier to the capital. Yallne had 

 written to the fame effed, diredtly to Sennaar, and fent a 

 fervant of his, who, for fecurity fike, had nothing but the 

 letter and an old ragged cloth about his waill ; and he had 

 long ago arrived at Sennaar, the before-named place of his 

 deilination. 



Among the tribes of Arabs that were protcded by Yafine, 

 and furnilhed with pafture, water, and a market for their 

 carile, and milk and butter, at Ras el Feel, were the Daveina, 

 by much the moft powerful of all tlie Arabs in Atbara; but 

 they ventured no further fouihward than Beyla, for fear 

 -of the troops of Sennaar. 



The Shekh of Beyla was a man of very great character 



for courage and probity. His name was Mahomet ; and I 



Vol. IV. T t had 



