46o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



this brutifh people, that the king afcends his throne under 

 an adniiffion that he may be lawfully put to death by his own 

 fubjedis or flaves, upon a council being held by the great of- 

 ficers, if they decree that it is not for the advantage of the 

 Hate that he be fuffered to reign any longer. There is one 

 officer of his own family, who, alone, can be the inftrument 

 of lliedding his fovereign and kinfman's blood. This of- 

 ficer is called, Sid cl Coom, mafter of the king's houfehold, 

 or fervants, but has no vote in depofing him ; nor is any 

 guilt imputed to him, however many of his fovereigns he 

 thus regularly murders. Achmet Sid el Coom, the prefent 

 liccnfed parricide, and refident in Ifmain's palace, had mur- 

 dered the late king Naffer, and two of his fons that were 

 well grown, befides a child at his mother's breail ; and he 

 was expeding every day to confer the fame favour upon 

 Ifmain ; though at prefent there was no malice on the one 

 part nor jealoufy on the other, and I believe both of them 

 had a guefs of what was likely to happen. It was this Ach- 

 mer, who was very much my friend, that gave me a lift of 

 -the kings that had reigned, how long their reign lafted,. 

 and whether they died a natural death, or were depofed and 

 murdered. 



This extraordinary officer was one of the very few that 

 fliewed me any attention or civility at Sennaar. He had 

 been violendy tormented with the gravel, but had found 

 much eafe from the ufe of foap-pills that I had given him, 

 and this had produced, on his part, no fmall degree of gra- 

 titude and friendihip ; he was alfo fubjeift to the epilepfy,, 

 but this he was [>erfuaded was witchcraft, from the machi- 

 nations of an enemy who refided far oir. 1 often Haid ac 



his. 



