440 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



the largefl and mod beautiful amethyfls upon his finger 

 that ever I faw, mounted plain, without any diamonds, and 

 a fmall gold ear-ring in one of his ears. 



" Why have you come hither, fays he to me, without 

 arms, and on foot, and without attendants ?" Tagotibe. " I was 

 told that horfes were not kept at Sennaar, and brought none 

 with me." Adclan. " You fuppofe you have come through 

 great dangers, and fo you have. But what do you think of 

 me, who am day and night out in the fields, furrounded by 

 hundreds and thoufands of Arabs, all of whom would eat 

 me alive if they dared ?" I anfwered, " A brave man, ufed 

 to command as you are, does not look to the number of his 

 enemies, but to their abilities; a wolf does not fear ten thou- 

 fand fheep more than he does one." Ad. " True ; look out 

 at the door ; thefe are their chiefs whom I am now taxing, 

 and I have brought them hither that they may judge from 

 v/hat they fee whether I am ready for them or not." Tag. 

 " You could not do more properly ; but, as to my own af- 

 fairs, I wait upon you from the king of AbyiTmia, defiring 

 fafe conduct through your country into Egypt, with his roy- 

 al promife, that he is ready to do the like for you again, or 

 any other favour you may call upon him for." He took the 

 letter and read it. Ad. " The king of Abyfilnia may be af- 

 fured I am always ready to do more for him than this. It 

 is true, fince the mad attempt upon Sennaar, and the next 

 ilill madder, to replace old Baady upon the throne, we have 

 had no formal peace, but neither are we at war. We un- 

 derftand one another as good neighbours ought to do ; and 

 what eife is peace ?" Yog. " You know I am a ftranger and 

 traveller, feeking my way home. I have nothing to do 

 with peace or war between nations. All I beg is a fafe con- 

 3 dud 



