THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 627 



take my word, as I am a mufTulman, I did not intend it, f 

 did not know you was ill." 



My feet at that time gave me fuch violent pain that I 

 was like to faint, and could not anfwer, but as there were 

 two flowered velvet cufhions upon one of the fteps above 

 the floor, I was obliged to kneel down upon one of them, as I 

 did not know how fitting might be taken. The Bey im- 

 mediately faw this, and cried out, " What now ? what is the 

 matter ?" I faw he thought I had fome complaint to make, 

 or fomething to afk. I fhewed him my feet in a terrible 

 fituation, the effecfts, I told him, of my paffing through the 

 defert. He defired me immediately to fit down on the 

 cufliion. " It is the coldncfs of the night, and hanging 

 upon the afs, faid I, occafions this ; the pain will be over 

 prefently." "Yon are an unfortunate man, fays the Bey, 

 whatever I mean to do for your good, turns to your mif- 

 fortune." •'" I hope not, Sir, faid I ; the pain is now over, and 

 I am able to hear what may be your commands." "I have 

 many queftions to afk you, fays the Bey. You have been 

 very kind to poor old Ifmael, who is a fherriffe, and to 

 my Chriftian fervant likewife ; and I wanted to fee 

 what I could do for you ; but this is not the time, go home 

 and fleep, and I will fend for you. Eat and drink, and 

 fear nothing. My father-in-law is gone, but, by the grace 

 of God, I am here in his place ; that is enough." I bowed, 

 and took my leave. 



The Bey had fpoken feveral times to his fervant in Turk- 

 ilh ; but thefe interruptions are too common at fuch au- 

 diences to be taken notice of. I went out to the anticham- 

 ber attended by five or fix people, and then into another 



4 K 2 room 



