56 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
through craggy mountains, where they may be all killed 
by rolling ftones upon them, without their even feeing 
their enemiy. Strange, ftrange, faid I, (fpeaking to my- 
felf) that any party fhould be fo audacious as to take poft 
in the king’s front, at fix miles diftance, and put themfelves 
between him and the capital: Iam fure they heartily de- 
ferve to be cut in pieces, and fo they certainly will. Where 
is Ayto Confu? It was anfwered by Yafine, That he was 
gone forward to the mouth of the pafs to reconnoitre it, 
and would meet us there. We marched on accordingly; 
acrofs the plain, about half a mile; but I was furprifed to 
fee all my attendants, that I had picked up by the way, 
laughing, excepting Yafine’s men, and that none of the 
reft made horfe, mule, or gun ready as if they were in dan- 
ger; fo that I began now ftrongly to fufpect fome trick 
‘on the part of Confu, as he was much given to jeft and 
fport, being a very young man. 
A uiTTLE before we came to the mouth of the pafs, a 
foldier came to us and afked who we were? and was 
anfwered, it was Yafine, Ayto Confu’s fervant at Ras el Feel. 
To which it was replied, he knew no fuch perfon. He 
was fcarcely gone when another arrived with the fame que- 
{tion. I began to be impatient, as the fun was then growing 
very hot; and anfwered, It was Yagoube, the white man, 
the king’s friend and fervant. I was again anfwered, No 
fuch perfon could pafs there. The third time, being inter- 
rogated by one whom I knew to be Ayto Confu’s fervant, 
Yafine anfwered, it is Yagoube, the king’s governor of Ras 
el Feel, with the flave Yafine, the moor, come to do the king 
homage, and to die for him, if he commands, in the midft 
of his enemies. ‘We were anfwered, He is welcome: upon 
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