THESOURCE OF THE NILE, agg: 
to be pretty much the fame. Remember me to Engedan. 1 
am fecking to join the king. 
IMMEDIATELY after, I got into the crowd: though they 
weré now in the plain, they ftill kept in a line clofe to the 
foot of the mountain, as in fear of the enemy’s horfe. 1 
paffed on at as brifk a walk as my horfe could go; nor was 
I fo tender of thofe who were before me in the plain as I 
had been on the fide of the hill, Among thofe that were 
ftill in the crowd, that had not got yet down the hill, { 
heard the Abuna’s fervant faying they had loft their mules, 
and denouncing excommunication and curfes againft thofe | 
who had ftolen his baggage. I could not refrain from a fit 
of laughter at the ftupidity of that prieft, to think any man 
of fuch a nation would pay attention to his anathemas in 
fuch a fcene. Soon after, however, I overtook the Abuna 
himfelf, with Ozoro Altafh. He afked me in Arabic, and 
in a very mournful tone of voice, what I thought they were 
going todo? I anfwered, in the fame language, “ Pray for 
them, father, for they know not what to do.” Ozoro Altafh 
now told me the king was a great way before them, with 
Ras Michael, and advifed me to ftay and accompany her. 
As the {poke this confidently, and it was part of the advice 
Gufho had given me if I miffed the king, I was deliberating 
what courte | fhouid purfue, when a great noife of horfe 
and men was heard on the fide of the plain, and prefently 
the Abuna and Ozoro Altaith were furrounded by a large 
body of horfemen, whofe cries and language I did not un- 
deritand, and whom therefore I took for Galla. As I found 
my horfe ftrong and willing, and being alone, and unincum- 
-Dered with baggage, I thought it was better to keep free, 
and not truft to who thefe firangers might be. J therefore 
Vou. IV. Ei f got. 
