THE SOURCE OP THE NILE. 3^3 



joined, and a very confufed, defultory difcourfe followed, 

 till the Turk, fherriffe Ifmael, happened to obferve the 

 Shekh's fcabbard of his fword thrown upon the floor, on 

 which he fell into a violent fit of laughter. He fpoke very 

 bad Arabic, mixed with Turkifli, as I have often obferved. 

 He endeavoured to make the Shekh underftand, that drunk- 

 ards and cowards had more need of the fcabbard than the 

 fword ; that he, Fidele, and the other drunkard that came 

 to our houfc two or three nights before, who faid he was 

 Shekh of the Jehaina, were juft poflfefled of the fame por- 

 tion of courage and infolence. 



As no good could be expected from this expoftulation, I 

 flopt it, and took my leave, defiring the Shekh to go to bed 

 and compofe himfelf, and not try any more of thefe expe- 

 riments, which would certainly end in his fhame, if not 

 in his punifhraent. He made no anfwer, only willied us 

 good night. 



CHAP. 



