370 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



the reft of her drefs was a bkie fhift, which hung loofely 

 about her, and covered her down to her feet, though it 

 was not very rigoroufly nor very clofely difpofed all below 

 her neck. She was the talleft of the middle fize, and not yet 

 fifteen years of age; her whole features faultlefs; they might 

 have ferved alone for the ftudy of a painter all his life, if he 

 was in fearch of abfolute beauty. Her mother being an 

 Arab of the tribe of Jehaina, her complexion was a dark 

 brown. Such was the beautiful Aifcach, daughter of the 

 eldeft of the ladies that I was then attending. 



Neither ficknefs nor medicine could prevent thofe who 

 were prefent from difcovering plainly how exceedingly I 

 was difconcerted. Adelan's daughter faid to me, You wiM 

 think nothing of the women in Atbara, after fa long a ftay 

 in Abyffinia ; but the women in Europe, they fay, are fo 

 white, that they are the handfomeft of all. I never 

 was lefs perfuaded of that truth than at prefent, faid I ; 

 and I fee perfetftly you obferve it. " Aye, aye, fays her 

 mother, and fo we do ; if Aifcach was ill, you would take 

 better care of her than of either of us." " Pardon me, 

 faid I, Madam ; if the beautiful Aifcach was ill, I feel I 

 ftiould myfelf be fo much affected as not to be able to at- 

 tend her at all." 



AiscACH made the moft gracious inclination with her 

 head, to fliew flie was perfectly fenfible of the compliment. 

 The women laughed out aloud. " Send for Yafme and 

 your horfe from Ras el Feel, cries a voice behind me laugli- 

 ing, but fpeaking perfect: good Amharic ; take her away, 

 and carry her back with you to Abyffinia, I'll go with you 

 with all my heart, and fo will fhe, I fv/ear to you." I turn- 

 ed 



