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THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 361 
we refolved, the next day, at meeting Shekh el Nile’s fervant, 
to difpatch him to Ras el Feel, requiring Yafine to fend 
fome perfon, as from the king or Ayto Confu, to afk the rea- 
_ fon of our being detained, and to be a witnefs of the Shekh’s 
behaviour and our departure. In the mean time, we de- 
termined to make our interviews with him as few as pofli- 
ble, till fome affiftance fhould arrive. Soliman met the 
Shekh el Nile’s fervant, and gave him the letter he was to 
carry to Yafine, explaining himfelf to the Arab by word of 
mouth. ve ; 
On the night of the 24th of March, the day after our ar- 
rival, our difpatch fet off from Jibbel Ifriff for Ras el Feel ; 
where he arrived fafely, but found Yafine was gone to Ay- 
to Confu at Tcherkin, elfe he would certainly have been 
the firft to bring us comfort, for he had executed his com- 
mifflion with great fidelity. This day I had ftaid in the 
houfe, being ill of the fimoom ; but had fent to Fidele, to let 
him know I fhould wait upon him next day, having as yet 
given him no prefent, and being defirous to know what 
effect that might have. | 
On the 25th, at four o’clock I waited upon the Shekh ac- 
‘cordingly, in his own houfe. Soliman the Moor, Hagi 
Ifmael the Turk, who, befides, was a fherriffe, and my Greek 
fervant, were along with me. I gave the Shekh, for a pre- 
fent, a large piece of blue Indian cotton cloth, with gold 
flowers, a filk and cotton fafh, about two ounces of civet, 
two pounds of nutmegs, and ten pounds of pepper. He 
received the prefents very gracioufly to appearance, and laid 
all the articles down befide him. I defired that he would 
difpatch me as foon as poffible, and, for that end, be pre- 
Vor. IV, LZ paring 
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