THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6 4 j 



Arabic Gulf. Before they had been a month. at fea, Abdul- 

 la died, as did Hamet Ali feven days after they arrived at 

 Suez. They had been on fea three months and fix. days from 

 Jidda to that port, becaufe they failed againft the monfoon. 



It was the 25th of June that Theodorus arrived at Cai- 

 ro, delivered the king's prefent, the account of the Abuna's 

 death, and the king's defire of having fpeedily a fucceffor. 

 The patriarch, having called together all his bifhops, 

 priefts, and deacons, conferred the dignity on a monk of 

 the Order of St Anthony, the only Order of monks the Cop- 

 tic church acknowledges. Thefe pafs a very auilere life in 

 two convents in a dreary defert, never tailing flefh, but li- 

 ving on olives, fait fardines *, wild herbs, and the worfl of 

 vegetables. Yet fo attached are they to this folitude, that, 

 when they are called to be ordained to this prelature of A- 

 byffinia, a. warrant from the bafha, and a party of Turks, 

 is neceflary to bring this elect one to Cairo in chains, where 

 he is kept in prifon till he is ordained ; guarded afterwards, . 

 and then forced on board a veflel which carries him to A- 

 byiunia, whence he is certain never to return. 



The Abuna departed from Suez the 20th of September; 

 the beginning of November he arrived at Jidda ; in Febru- 

 ary 1745 he failed from Jidda, taking with him Abdelcader, 

 now freed from prifon ; he arrived at Mafuah the 7th of 

 March, and immediately fent an exprefs to notify his arrival 

 to the king and queen, and to Ras Welled de l'Oul. Con- 

 gratulations 



*"This is a fifti common in the Mediterranean, of the kind of anchovies, the common toed: 

 ■fif the ^alley-flaves, and lower fort of people. 



