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48 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
are perfectly well-informed as to the great kindnefs he did 
all along fhew me, but this was entirely from his goodnefs, _ 
and no merit of mine. I never did eat or drink with him; it 
was an honour I could not have been capable of afpiring 
to. Cuftom has eftablifhed the contrary; and for me, I 
faw no pleafure or temptation to tranfgrefs this cuftom, 
though it had been in my option, as it was not. I have, for 
the moft part, feen him eat and drink; an honour I enjoyed 
in common with his confidential fervants, as being an offi- ~ 
cer of his houfehold. The gold you mention, which I have 
feveral times got from the late King and Ras el Feel, I con- 
ftantly fpent for his fervice, and for my own honour. But 
at prefent Iam neither governor of Ras el Feel, nor have I 
-any poft under heaven, nor do I defire it. Yafine, I fup- 
pofe, holds his from Ayto Confu his fuperior, who holds it 
from the king by order of Ras Michael, but of this I know 
nothing. As for tricks on horfeback, I know not what you 
mean. I have for many years been in conftant practice of 
horfemanfhip among the Arabs." Mine, too, is a country 
of horfemen ; and I profefs to have attained to a degree not 
common, the management both of the lance and of fire- 
arms; but 1am no buffoon, to fhewtricks. The profeffion 
of arms is my birth-right derived from my anceftors, and 
with thefe, at his defire, I have often diverted the king, as 
an amufement worthy of him, and by no means below me.” 
—‘ The king! fays he in a violent paflion, and who then 
am I? a flave! Do you know, witha ftamp of my foot I can 
order you to be hewn to pieces in an inftant. You area 
Frank, a dog, a liar, and a flave! Why did you tell the 
Iteghé that your houfe was robbed of s0 ounces of gold? 
Any other king but myfelf would order your eyes to be 
4 . pulled 
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