THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 491 



more, and fupported him with provifions wherever he went, 

 for thefe people, being accounted facred, and regarded with 

 a certain rehgious awe, as being in the immediate fervice of 

 their prophet, till now ufed to pafs inviolate wherever they 

 were going, however unfettled the times, or however flen- 

 derly attended. 



Every thing was now ready, my inftruments and bag- 

 gage packed up, and the 25th of Auguft fixed when we 

 fliould begin our journey for Atbara. Mahomet, who pafC. 

 ed a great part of his time at my houfe, had not been feen 

 by us for feveral days, which we did not think extraordi- 

 nary, being bufy ourfelves, and knowing that his trade de- 

 manded continual attendance on the great people ; but wc 

 were exceedingly furprifed at hearing from my black Soli- 

 man, that he and all his equipage had fet out the night of 

 the 20th for Atbara. This we found afterwards v/as at the 

 earneft perfuafion of the king, and was at that time a hea- 

 vy difappointment to us, however fortunate it turned out 

 afterwards. 



The night of the 25th, which was to have been that of 

 our departure, we fat late in my room up Hairs, in the back, 

 or moft private part of the houfe. My little companv was 

 holding with me a melancholy council on what had fo 

 recently happened, and, in general, upon the unpromifmg 

 face of our affairs. Our fmgle lamp was burning very low, 

 and fuggeilcd to us that ii: v/as the hour of ilecp, to which, 

 however, none of us were very much inclined. Georgis, 

 a Greek, who, on account of the forenefs of his eves had 

 (laid below in the dark, and had fallen afleep, came run- 

 ning up flairs in a great fright, and told us he had been 



3 Qj2 wakened 



