THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. _ ats 
her. father, who; guefling by my countenance [ had fome- 
thing material to communicate, fent her on hex vilit, and fo 
we were left alone. 
As he was a man with whom I had always lived in the 
moft confidential friendihip, and knew the fame fubjuted 
between him and the king, I made no icruple to tel! him, 
word for word, what | had heard from Gutho, and \nge- 
dan’s fervant. He faid, without any feeming furprife, Why, 
we are all worn out, but ftate all this to the king. Soon 
after, came in the flave who had the charge of the king’s 
bed-chamber, and told the fecretary that the king found 
himfelf well, only wanted to know what he fhould drink. 
I ordered him fome water, with ‘ome ripe tamarinds, a li- - 
quor he ufually took in time of Lent. See him and advife 
him yourtelf, fays the fecretary. I accordingly went in,,. 
and told'the king the whole ftory. He feemed to be in 
great agitation, repeating frequently, “ O God! O God! O 
Guebra Menfus Kedus*!’—“ Who is this Guebra Menfus 
Kedus ?” faid | afterwards to Tecla Mariam, who in his 
heart believed in him no more thanI did. “ Why, anfwer- 
ed he gravely, he is a great faint, who never ate or drank. 
from his mother’s womb till his death, faid mafs at Jerufa- 
lem every day, andcame home at night in form of a ftork.” - 
—“ But a bad regimen his, faid I, for fuch violent exercife.” 
—“ That is not all, fays Tecla Mariam, he fought with the 
devil once in Tigre, and threw him over the rock Amba Sa- 
lam, and killed him.”—“T with you joy, {aid I, this is good. 
news indeed.” All this converfation had paffed in half a 
whif per. 
* Servant of the Holy.Ghoft.. 
ty 
