- 
' THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 7 
THe two fifters had been out helping my fervants in dif- 
pofing the baggage; but when they had pitched my tent, 
and were about to lay the mattrefs for fleeping on, the el- 
deft of thefe interrupted them, and not being able to make 
herfelf underftood by the Greeks, fhe took it up and threw 
it out of the tent-door, whilft no abufe or opprobrious names 
were {pared by my fervants; one of whom came to tell me 
her impudenee, and that if they underftood her, fhe faid 1 
was to fleep with her this night, and they believed we were 
got into a houfe of thieves and murderers. To this I an- 
fwered by a fharp reproof, defiring them to conform to 
every thing the family ordered them. I faw the fair nymph 
was in a violent pafiion; fhe told her tale to the matrons 
with great energy, and a volubility of tongue paft imagina- 
tion, and they all laughed. Fafil’s wife called me to fit by 
her, and began to inftruct me, drolly enough, as they do 
children, but of what fhe faid I had not the fmallef& guefs, 
I endeavoured always to repeat her laft words,.and this oc- 
eafioned another vehement laugh, in which I joined as 
heartily as any, to keep up the joke, for the benefit of the 
company, as long as pof_ible.. 
ImmepiaTery after this Welled. Amlac arrived, and’ 
brought us the difagreeable news, that it was impoflible to. 
proceed to the ford of the Abay,. as. two-of the neighbour- 
ing Shums were at variance about their refpective diftricts, 
and in a day or two would decide it by blows. The faces — 
of all our.companions fell at thefe news; but as I knew the 
man, it gave me little trouble, as | fuppofed the meaning to _ 
be, that, if we made it worth while, he would accompany us 
himfelf, and in that cafe we fhould pafs without fear; at 
any rate, 1 well knew that, after the obligations I had laid 
hing 
a 
