THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. on 
flaves of both fexes, brought us a quantity of difhes of 
meat from the Shekh, with many flattering compliments: 
and good wifhes, The whole was difpatehed very {pecdily, 
and fome of our poor companions of the caravan, with the 
fallt, came and helped us very thanifully;without ceremony, 
as is the cultom of the country. When all was over, I was. 
aftonithed at one young man, who came and put his mouth, 
elofe to my ear, faying thefe few: words in Arabic, “ Seitan 
Fidele! el Shekh el Atbara Seitan!” 2. ¢. Fidele is a devil! 
the Shekh. of Atbara.is the devil himfelf!. 
Aux firangers were now ditrnisted, under pretence of our~ 
going immediately to repofe. We had, indeed, much need’ 
_ of reft in our prefent fituation, but full more of council, for 
which we immediately. affem bled: by ourfelves, after having. 
fhut the door, I afked Soliman what he thought of the: 
_Shekh of Atbara, and his difcourfe. He anfwered, without 
hefitation, “ He is a traitor, has deceived Yafine, and means. 
you ill.” The word, great man, fo often applied to me—the- 
abufe: beftowed’ upon Yafine, whom in his letters he had: 
called his dear brother—the wondering that I came that 
way, after, in his letters, and by his fervants, he had fo often 
perfuaded us, while at:Ras el Feel, that it was the beft, nay,, 
the only road poflible; all this united together, feemed to leave 
us no doubt but that we had fallen into a trap, from which. 
our own activity and refolutions, under: the protection of. 
Providence, could alone releafe us. 
Ir may be remembered that; fome time before our fetting: 
out from Ras el Feel, 1 had difpatched a fervant with the: 
Daveina to Sennaar, whom they were to efcort as far as Bey- 
la;_and.they had configned-him into the hands of Maho-- 
met,. 
