THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 2S7 



a chair*, underftood to be the place of the grand fignior. 

 The Shekh himfelf was fitting en the ground for humiUty's 

 <ake, reading the Koran, or pretending to read it. At our 

 entry he feemed to be furprifed, and made an attempt as 

 if to rife up, which immediately I prevented him from doing, 

 holding him down by the hand, which I kiffed. 



I SHALL not fatigue the reader with the uninterefling 

 converfation that paffed at this firll interview. He affedt- 

 ed to admire my fize and apparent ftrength, introduced 

 fame loofe hints about AbyfTinian women; and, in ge- 

 neral, pretended to blame me for expoling myfelf to tra- 

 vel in fuch a country. In return, I complained of the ex- 

 treme fatigue of the journey and heat, the beafts of prey,, 

 the thick woods without fliade, the want of water, and, 

 above all, the poifonous blafts of the limoom that had al- 

 moft overcome me, the effects of which I was at that in- 

 ftant feeling.. 



He then blamed himfelf very politely, in a manner na-- 

 tural to the Arabs, for having fuffered me to come to him 

 before I had repofed myfelf, which he excufed by his defire 

 of feeing fo great a man as me. He faid alio, that he 

 would detain me no longer ; bid me repofe a day or two- 

 in quiet and in fafety ; and, upon my riflng to go away, he 

 got up likewife, and holding me by the hand, faid, " 1 he 



greateft 



* It is the cuflom, in all places where the governor is invefled with fjnreme power, to 

 have an atm-chair left empty in the middle of the hall where juftice is adnxiuiftered, which, 

 reprefjnts the fovereigo, and to wiiieh obeifance is made.- 



