THE SOURCE OF THE.NILE. 639 



vilible, the cries of women at the fight of an enemy fo 

 near them, and the hurry of the men deferting their habi- 

 tation loaded with the moll valuable of their effect?, all in- 

 creafed the king's impatience to put himfelf in poffeluon 

 of this capital of his enemy. 



It happened that an Arab, belonging to Nile Wed Ageeb^ 

 had feen the manoeuvre of Hamis and his cavalry. This man, 

 crolling the Nile at the neareft ford, came and told his ma- 

 iler, Wed Ageeb, what he had feen, who informed the king 

 of his danger. Upon interrogating the Arab, it was found 

 that the affair of Welled de l'Oul would certainly be over 

 before the king could pombly join him ; and in that cafe 

 he mufl fall in the midll of a victorious army, arid his 

 (Jeftruction mull then be inevitable, if he attempted it. 

 It was, therefore, agreed, as the only means poffible to fave 

 the king and that part of the army he had with him, to 

 retreat m the route Shekh Nile fhould indicate to thenx> 

 marching up with the river Nile clofe on their right hand, 

 and leaving the defert between that and the Dender, which 

 is absolutely without water, to cover their left. This was 

 executed as foon as refolved. 



In the mean time, Hamis had croffed the Nile, and con* 

 tinued his march with the utmolt diligence, and, in the 

 clofe of the evening, had fallen upon Welled de l'Oul as 

 unexpectedly as he could have wimed. The Abyffinians 

 were everywhere flaughtered and trodden down before 

 they could prepare themfelves for the lead reliilance. All 

 *hac could fly iheltered themfelves in the woods :. but this 

 refuge was as certain death as the fword of the Funge ; for, 

 after leaving the river Dender, all the country behind them 



was. 



