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THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 118 
qas here he fhewed an inftance of that quick penetration 
for which he was remarkable, and which, as a proof of this; 
I fhall here mention. - 
THERE is a lari wafte fpace on each fide of the palace 
where the market is kept. It had rained, and it was in the 
evening almoft deftitute of people; there were only two 
men at a confiderable diftance, who feemed to be in clofe 
converfation together, one of them apparently very much 
the worfe of liquor, the other had hold of the end of the 
fafh, or girdle, which was round the body of the drunk 
man; it is a narrow web of cotton cloth, which they wind 
eight or ten times about their waift. The king faid to me, 
‘Do you know, Yagoube, what thefe two men are about? I 
‘anfwered, No. I faw the drunkard untwine one turn of his 
fafh, which the other was fecling and looking curioufly 
at, as if examining and doubtin g its goodnefs. That man, 
fays the king, is robbing the drunkard of his fath: go down 
two or three of you who run beft, and apprehend him, but 
- hide yourfelves till he has committed the theft, and feize him 
as he paffes. The orders were quickly obeyed ; the drunk- 
ard unwound his fafh, by turning himfelf round and 
xound, while the other feemed to be meafuring it by the 
length of his arm, from his elbow to his forefinger, and 
then gathering it up. This was done very deliberately till 
it was all unwound, and the far end loofe; upon which 
the fellow, who was meafuring, gathering it in his arms, 
ran off as faft as he could, leaving the drunkard ftanding 
motionlefs, apparently in great furprife and amazement. 
The thief was immediately feized and brought up to the 
king, who ordered him to be thrown over the tower. At 
Vou. IV. P my 
