THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 61 



Indeed, if the increafe of trade and power in that corner of 

 Abyflinia arofe from the troubles and want of fecurity 

 which the merchants laboured under in Arabia, we cannot 

 but fufpeet, from a parity of reafoning, that the violent man- 

 ner in which war had been carried on by Amda Sion, muft 

 have occafioned a great many inhabitants to repafs the 

 Straits, and return to their own homes. 



At this time, news were brought from Cairo, that the 

 Soldan had thrown the Coptic patriarch, Marcus, into prifon. 

 There was then a conftant trade carried on between Cairo 

 and Abyflinia, through the defert ; and alfo from Cairo and 

 Suakem on the Red Sea. Befides, great caravans, formerly 

 compofed of Pagans, now of Mahometans, palled from well 

 to eaft, in the fame manner as in ancient times, to buy and 

 difperfe India goods through Africa. Saif Araad, not having 

 it in his power to give the patriarch other amftance, feized 

 all the merchants from Cairo, and fent horfe to interrupt 

 and terrify the caravans. As the caufe of this was well 

 known, and that the patriarch was in prifbn for the fake 

 only of extorting money from him, people on all fides cried 

 out upon the bad policy of the Soldan, who thereupon 

 ordered Abuna Marcus to be fet at liberty, without any 

 other condition, than that he mould make peace with Saif 

 Araad on the part of Egypt, which was done through the 

 mediation of that prelate. 



WEDEMi 



