j,f^ TRAVELS TO DISCOVER' 



Having received all the affurances pofTible from Idris- 

 that he v/ould live and die with us, after having repeated the 

 prayer of peace, we put on the beft countenance poffible, 

 and committed ourielves to the dcfert. There were Ifmael 

 th-e Turk, two Greek fervants befides Georgia, who was 

 almoll blind and ufelefs. Two Barbarins, who took care 

 of the camels, Idris, and a young man, a relation of his, 

 who joined him at Barbar, to return home ; in all nine 

 perfons, eight only of whom were efFeftive. We were all 

 well-armed with blunderbufTes, fwords, piflolsy and double- 

 barrelled guns, except Idris and his lad, who had lances, 

 the only arms they could ufe. Five or fix naked wretch- 

 es of the Tucorory joined us at the watering place, much 

 againrt my will, for I knew that we fhould probably be re- 

 duced to the difagreeable necelTity of feeing them die with 

 thirrt before our eyes ; or by affiiling them, Ihould any ac- 

 cident happen to our water, we ran a very great rifli of 

 gerilhing with th*;m. . 



It was on the 9th of November, at noon, we left Gooz, 

 and fet out for the fakia, or watering-place, which is be- 

 low a little village called Hail'a. All the weft fide of tlife 

 Nile is full of villages down to Takaki, but they are all 

 Jaheleen, without government, and perpetually in rebel- 

 lion. At half paft three in the afternoon we came to the 

 Nile to lay in our llore of water. We filled four Ikina, 

 which might contain altogether about a hogfhead and a 

 half. As for our food, it confifted in twenty-two large 

 goat5 fikins fluffed with a powder of bread" made of dora 

 here at Gooz, on purpofe for fuch expeditions. It is about 

 the fize and Ihape of a pancake, but thinner. Being much 

 dried, rather than toafted at the fire, it is afterwards rub- 

 bed 



