THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 187 



his flight. But he had formed his refolution, and, without 

 deigning to give his reafons, he obftinately refufed to re- 

 treat a Hep farther. In vain the queen, and thofe that knew 

 the country, told him he was juft in the tract of the Moor- 

 ilh horfemen, who would not fail foon to furround him. 

 He repeated his refolution of flaying there with fuch a de- 

 gree of firmnefs, that the queen and patriarch, who had no 

 great defire for martyrdom, left him to his fate, which pre- 

 sently overtook him. 



In one of Don Christopher's expeditions to the moun- 

 tains, he had taken a very beautiful woman, wife to a 

 Turkifh officer, whom he had flain. This lady had made 

 a Ihew of converfion to Christianity ; lived with him after- 

 wards, and was treated by him with the utmofl tendernefs. 

 It was faid, that, after he was wounded and began to fly, 

 this woman had given him his route, and promifed to over- 

 take him with friends that would carry him to a place of 

 fafety. Accordingly, fome fervants left by the queen, hid- 

 den among the rocks, to watch what might befal him, and 

 athit. him if poflible, faw a woman, in the dawn of the 

 morning,, come to the cave, and return into the wood im- 

 mediately, whence there rufhed out a body of Moorifh 

 horfe, who went ftraight to the cave and found Don Chri- 

 ftopher lying upon the ground forely wounded. Upon the 

 firft queftion that was afked him, he declared his name, 

 which fo overjoyed the Moors, that they gave over further 

 p fuit, and returned with the prifoner they had taken. 

 Don Chriftopher was brought into the prefence of the Moor- 

 ish general, Gragne, who loaded him with reproaches ; to 

 lie replied with fuch a fhare of invectives, that the 

 Moor, in the violence of his pafhon, drew his fword and cut 



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