THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. siS 



anywhere; our camels are lame; we were lo follow, as foon 

 as they could be able to travel, to join thofe at the Nile. 

 The parties of the Bifliarecn are always paffing here, fome- 

 times more, fometimes lefs ; they will not come till they 

 hear from the Nile whether the grafs is grown. They have 

 with them two dromedaries, who will carry the news from 

 the Nile in three days, or they will come in fmall parties 

 like the laft, for they have no fear in thefe parts. The wells 

 to the north belong to the Ababde. When they pafs by 

 them with cattle they are always in great numbers, and a 

 Shekh along with them ; but thofe wells are now fo fcan- 

 ty they have not water for any number, and they muft 

 therefore all pafs this way.!' 



I GOT up, and called on Ifmael. The poor fellow thought 

 he was to die. Life is fweet even to the mod miferable. 

 He was ftill upon his knees, holding his hands clafped round 

 the back of his neck, and already, I fuppofe, thought he felt 

 the edge of Ifmael's knife. He fwore that every word he 

 had fpoken was truth; and if his wife was brought flie could 

 not tell another llory. 



I THEREUPON left him, and went to his wife, who, when. 

 Ihe faw Hagi Ifmael with a drawn fvvord in his hand, 

 thought all was over with her hufband, and fell into a vio- 

 lent fit of defpair, crying out, " That all the men were liars 

 and murderers, but that fhe would have told the truth if I 

 had afked her firft." " Then go, Hagi Ifmael, faid I, tell 

 them not to put him to death till 1 come, and now you have 

 your chance, which if you do not improve by telling the 

 truth, I will firft flay your child with my own hand before 

 your face, and then order you all to be cruelly put to. 

 ^ deacli 



