THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 205 
there ‘was a good Perfian carpet, as pride and newly-ac- 
quired independence had releafed him from thofe forms, 
in the obfervance of which he had been brought up from 
his childhood. | 
On feeing him attentive, I continued, “ The king fends 
you word by me, and I declare to you from my own Ilill as. 
a phyfician, that the fever now amongit you will foon be- 
come mortal; as the rains increafe, you will die ;>confe- 
quently, being out of your allegiance, God only knows 
what will happen to you afterwards., The king therefore 
wifhes you to preferve your health, by going home to Am- 
hara, taking Powuflen, and all the reft along with you who. 
~ are ill likewife, and the fooner the better, as he heartily 
withes to be rid of you all at once, without your leaving any 
of your friends behind you.” It was with difficulty I kept 
my gravity in the courfe of my harangue; it did not feem 
to be lefs fo on his part, as at the end he broke out in a 
great fit of laughter.. “ Aye, Aye, Yagoube, fays he, I fee 
you are ftill the old man ;, bur tell the king from me, that if 
‘I were to-do what you juft now defire of me, it was then L 
fhould be afraid to die, it was then I fhould be out of my. 
duty ; affure the king, continued Gufho, I will do him bet- 
ter fervice. Were Ito go home and leave Michael with him,. 
I, whoam no phyfician, declare, the Ras would prove in the 
end a much more dangerous difeafe to him than all the fe~ 
vers in Dembea.” | 
I THEN introduced his relation, Tecla Mariam, who flood: 
with the people behind; and,as he had on his monk’s drefs, 
Gufho at firit did not know him. He had been well inform- 
ed, however, of his having faved the king, and of the blow 
that he had received from him. He {aid every thing in 
2 - commendation: 
