THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 533' 



reafon of this ; but had ftaid only a few liiinutes when I 

 heard one of the doors at the end of the pafTage open, and 

 Sittina appeared magnificently drclfed, with a kind of round 

 cap of folid gold upon the crown of her head, all beat very 

 thin, and hung round with fcquins ; with a variety of gold 

 chains, folitaire?, and necklaces of the fame metal, about 

 her neck. Her hair was plaited in ten or twelve fmall di- 

 vifions like tails, which hung down below her waiil, and 

 over her was thrown a common cotton white garment. She 

 had a purple fiik Hole, or fcarf, hung very gracefully upon 

 her t\ack, brought again round her waift, without covering 

 her llioulders or arms. Upon her wrifts flie had two brace- 

 lets like handcuffs, about half an inch thick, and two gold ' 

 manacles of the fame at her feet, fully an inch diameter, 

 the moft difagreeable and aukward part of all her drefs. 

 I expedted Hie would have hurried through with fome af- 

 fetftation of furprife. On the contrary, fhe ftoptin the middle 

 of the pafTage, faying, in a verv grave manner, " Kifhalec," 

 — how are you ? I thought this was an opportunity of kif- 

 fmg her hand, which I did, without her fhewing any fort 

 of relucT:ance. " Allow me as a phylician, laid I, Madam, 

 to fay one word." She bowed with her head, and faid, " Go 

 in at that door, and I will hear you." The Have appeared, 

 and carried me through a door at the bottom of the pafTage 

 into a room, while her miftrefs vaniflied in at another door 

 at the top, and there was the faeen I had feen th-e day be- 

 fore, aud the lady fitting behind it. . 



She was a woman fcarcely forty, taller than the middlfe 

 fize,had a very round, plump face, her mouth rather large, 

 Trery red lips, the fmeft teeth and eyes I have feen, but at the 



