THESOURGEOFTHENILE. 371 



fed with furprife to the perfon that fpoke the language, 

 which I had not heard fpoken of late. " She is a poor 

 Chrillian flave, fays the eldefl: of Fidele's wives, taken by 

 the Jehaina when the Mek Baady was defeated in his re- 

 turn to Sennaar ; fhe is a foolilh, but merry creature, as you 

 fee." All our diet and regimen being fettled, I took my 

 leave, and was attended to the door by the Abyffmian flave 

 and Aifcach, who feemed to be very much her friend. 

 When flie came to the outer door, flie covered herfelf again 

 with her veil, from head to foot, as before, faying, in a low 

 voice, Shall we not fee you to-morrow ? 



On the 31ft of March, Fidele again infilled upon under- 

 going another experiment of the ipecacuanha. I waited up- 

 on him at the fame hour as before, curious to know what 

 he would fay to me about his wives. Upon my inquiring 

 after them, he only anfwered, that they were well ; and 

 when cofl'ee was brought, before I went away, told me, 

 that he knew perfedly well, from Ras el Feel, that, when 

 I fet out from thence, I had difpofed, in various boxes and 

 chefls, (which I pretended were inilruments) 2000 ounces of 

 gold, befides variety of cloth of gold, and other valuable 

 things for prefents ; and as all this was now in his power, 

 he could not tliink me mad enough to refufe him 500 piaf- 

 tres, which were only 50 of thefe ounces I carried with 

 me ; that, if I gave them to him civilly, he would forward 

 me to Sennaar in tv/o days ; if not, Fwas in his hands, and 

 he could eafiiy take the whole by force, and after difpofe of 

 me as he plea fed. 



Well done ! out with it ! fard I ; this is but what I knew 

 long to be in your heart. But let me fet you right ; 1 have 



.3 A 2 not 



