THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 361 



we refolved, the next day, at meeting Shekh el Nile's fervant, 

 to difpatch him to Ras el Feel, requiring Yafme to fend 

 feme perfon, as from the king or Ayto Confu, to alk the rea- 

 fon of our being detained, and to be a witnefs of the Shekh's 

 behaviour and our departure. In the mean time, we de- 

 termined to make our interviews with him as few as poffi- 

 ble, till fome affiftance fliould arrive. Soliman met the 

 Shekh el Nile's fervant, and gave him the letter he was to 

 carry to Yaiine, explaining himfelf to the Arab by word of 

 mouth. 



On the night of the 24th of March, the day after our ar- 

 rival, our difpatch fet off from Jibbel Ifriff for Has cl Feel ; 

 where he arrived fafely, but found Yafme was gone to Ay- 

 to Confu at Tcherkin, elfe he would certainly have been 

 the firft to bring us comfort, for he had executed his com- 

 miflion with great fidelity. This day I had ilaid in the 

 houfe, being ill of the fimoom ; but had fent to Fidele, to let 

 him know I fliould v/ait upon him next day, having as yet 

 given him no prefent, and being defirous to know what 

 effed that might have. 



On the 25th, at four o'clock I waited upon the Shekh ac- 

 cordingly, in his own houfe. Soliman the Moor, Hagi 

 Ifmael the Turk, who, bcfides, was a flierriffe, and my Greek 

 fervant, were along with me. I gave the Shekh, for a pre- 

 fent, a large piece of blue Indian cotton cloth, with gold 

 flowers, a filk and cotton fafli, about two ounces of civet, 

 two pounds of nutmegs, and ten pounds of pepper. He 

 received the prefentsrvery gracioufiy to appearance, and laid 

 all the articles down beiide him. I deiired that he would 

 difpatch me as foon as poffiblc, and, for that end, be pre- 



Vol. IV. Z z paring 



