THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6ii 



reeiiHybeers for me, or rather to join our companies to- 

 gether, for theBifhareen were not to be truiled. Contrary 

 to the denre of the chief of the Arabs, he took away the 

 three Hybeers, to difappoint me ; he found them three mur- 

 derers, and left me the only honeft man whom he did not 

 know. God punilhed the prefumption and pride of which 

 h,e was full, jull as this MouUah, who laft came in, and fits 

 before you, appears to be." 



The Aga then ailced me, if I faw him afterwards ? " You 

 know, I fuppofe, the ftory. One of the three Hybeers went 

 to Abou Bertran, a principal Shekh of the Bifhareen, and 

 prepared a party to meet them on the road at the next fta- 

 tion, while the other two Hybeers, their guides, took care to 

 deceive him by lies, and carried him dirccTily upon the road 

 where the plot was laid. About twenty men on camels, 

 armed with lances, and as many young men on foot, with 

 fwords, came to meet him, and thofe upon camels made 

 their beafts kneel down at fome diftance from him, as out 

 of refpe^t coming to kifs his hands, as of a holy perfon be- 

 longing to the Caaba, their fancfluary at Mecca. 



" The vain, imprudent man difmounted from his 

 camel to give them a more eafy opportunity of paying him 

 their refpe6ls, and wlien one of them held him by the hand 

 in token of friendfliip, another cut him acrofs the hams 

 with a broad-fword, and a third run him through the back 

 with a lance. He endeavoured to put his hands to his pif- 

 tols, but it was too late. They afterwards perfuaded his fer- 

 vants, who had fire-arms in their hands, and, like fools, did 

 not life them, to capitulate ; and, after they had difarmed 

 them, they carried them afide and murdered them alfo, then 



4 H 2 took 



