THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 



315^ 



and live o- die together. . One thing, however, diverted us :, 

 One of cac >.:ge bluade'bulTes being accidentally laid acrofs 

 the door, tiiis veteran foidier llarted back at the fight of it, 

 and, although the muzzle was pointed far from him, would, 

 not enter till the piece was removed, and placed at a confi- 

 derable diftance from him. 



As we faw thing^s were growing to a crilis, we became 

 every hour more impatient for the arrival of relief, either 

 from Ras el Feel or Sennaar. On the ift of April came a fer- 

 vant from the Shekh of Beyla, and delivered a meflage to 

 Fidele : What it was I know not ; but about noon he came 

 to inquire after us, and pay us a vifit. 



All this time Fidele had kept our arrival at Teawa a fe^ 

 cret from the Shekh of Beyla; but the people, who frequent- 

 ed the market of Teawa, having told their governor that 

 they had feen ftrangers there, he all at once fufpefted the 

 truth, and difpatched a confidential fervant to Fidele, under 

 a fhew of bufinefs, to inquire whether we w^rethofe ftran- 

 gers. An explanation immediately followed upon his co- 

 ming to my houfe, and efpecially concerning the meffage 

 the Shekh of Beyla had received from the Shekh. of Atbara^ 

 that we were gone by Kuara down the Dendar. lie faid, 

 that his matter either had Tent, or intended to fend, advice 

 of this to my fervant at Sennaar, who, expecTiingus no long, 

 er by Teawa, would neither come himfelf, nor fcek a king's, 

 fervant to conduft us from hence, but would feek meafures 

 for our fafety the other way, or wait at Sennaar, expecting 

 our arrival daily; for the way from Kuara was through a 

 number of outlawed, or banditti Arabs, fo that it was not 

 in the power of the government of Sennaar, if ever fo well 



inclined. 



