I- 



THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 37 



another ever lince the king had crofTed the river Hawafh, 

 and come into the defert kingdom of Mara, unfruitful in 

 its foil, but nourifhing by trade, and rich in India commo- 

 dities. The foldiers had here fo loaded themfelves with 

 fpoils and merchandife, that they began rather to think of 

 returning home, and enjoying what they had got, than of 

 pulhing their conquefts ilill farther to the deftruction of 

 Adel and Mara. The putrid ftate of the water, in *his fultry 

 and unwholefome climate, had afflicted the king with the 

 fever of the country, which he thought not by any means 

 to remedy or prevent. No consideration could keep him 

 from expofing himfelf to the moft violent fun-beams, and 

 to the more noxious vapours of the night; and it was now 

 the feventh day his fever had been increafing, although he 

 neither ate nor drank. The army expecting, from the king's 

 illnefs, a fpeedy order to return, converfed of nothing elfe 

 within their camp, with that kind of fecurity as if they had 

 ' already received orders to return home.. 



The Mahometan army had afTembled, and no news had 

 been brought of it to the king. Saleh's influence had uni- 

 ted them all ; and the king's ficknefs had made this eafier 

 than it otherwife would have been. It happened, then, that, : 

 the king's fever abating the ninth day, he fent out to pro- 

 cure himfelf venifon, with which this country abounds,, 

 and which, is believed, by people of all ranks in Abyffinia,, 

 to be the only proper food and reflorative after ficknefs. Af- 

 ter having killed fumciently for the king's immediate nfe, 

 the huntfmen returned ; two only remained, who conti- 

 nued the purfuit of the game through the woods, till they 

 were four days journey diflant from their camp, when, being 

 in fearch of water for their dogs, they met a Moor engaged 



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