THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 617 



againft you at the day of judgment ?" Ta. " I do not 'know, 

 but 1 fhall be very much furprifed if it does." " I afliire you 

 he will, fays Hagi Soliman." Ta. " Be it fo, it is a matter of 

 indifference to me." So/. " Do you know what God will fay 

 to you about that fifli ? Shall I tell you? Ta. " I have not the 

 leaft idea, and you will oblige me." Sol. " God will fay to 

 you, Did you make that fifli ? What will you anfwer ? 

 Ta. " I will anfwer, I did." SoL " He will fay to you again. 

 Make a foul to it." Ta. " I will anfwer, I cannot." So/. " He 

 will fay. Why did you make that fifli's body, when you was 

 not capable to give it a foul? What can you anfwer then?" 

 Ta. " 1 made that body, becaufe thou gaveft me talents and 

 capacity to do it. I do not make the foul, becaufe thou haft 

 denied me power and ability, and referved that to thyfelf on- 

 ly." So/. " Do you think he will be contented with that an- 

 fwer?" Ta. " I do moft certainly think fo. It is truth, and 

 I do not think a more dired one can be given." So/. " Aha i 

 the Moullah would tell you that will not do; painting things 

 that have life is idolatry^ and the punifliment is hell-fire." 

 Ta. " Patience, then, my cafe is defperate, for it is not a fin 

 I intend to repent of." Thus ended this curious difcuflion, 

 and we went away in perfecft good humour one with the 

 other. A number of the better fort drank coiFee with me 

 in the evening. The Aga fent me two flieep, and, obferving 

 my feet much inflamed and wounded, made me likewife a 

 prefent of a pair of flippers of foft Turkey leather to defend 

 ihcmfrom the inclemency of the weather. 



It was the nth of December when we left Syene ; we 

 cannot fay failed, for our maft being down, we went with 

 the current and the oars, when the wind was againfl: 

 us. In our voyage down the Nile we had but very 



Vol. IV. 4 1 indifl^ercnt 



