THESOURCE OF THE NILE 375 
and live or die together. One thing, however, diverted us : 
One of the large blunderbufles being accidentally laid acrofs. 
the door, this veteran foldier ftarted back at the fight of it, 
and, although the muzzle was pointed far from him, would. 
not enter till the piece was removed, and placed at a confi-: 
derable diftance from him, 
_ As we faw things were growing’ to a crifis, we became’ 
every hour more impatient for the arrival of relief, either: 
from Ras el Feel or Sennaar. On the 1ft of April came a fer-- 
vant from the Shekh of Beyla, and delivered a meflage to- 
Fidele: What it was I. know not; but about noon he came: 
to inquire after us, and pay us a vilit. 
Aut this time Fidele had kept our arrival at Teawaa fe-- 
cret from the Shekh of Beyla; but the people, who frequent-~ 
ed the market of Teawa, having told their governor that- 
they had feen ftrangers there, he all at once fufpected the: 
_-truth, and difpatched a confidential fervant to-Fidele, under: 
a.fhew of bufinefs, to inquire whether we were thofe ftran-- 
gers. An explanation immediately followed. upon his co- 
ming to my houfe, and efpecially concerning the meflage. 
the Shekh of Beyla-had received fromthe Shekh of Atbara, 
that we were gone. by Kuara down the Dendar. He faid,, 
that his mafter either had fent, or intended to fend, advice. 
of this to my fervant at Sennaar, who, expecting us no long-. 
er by Teawg would neither come himfelf, nor feek a king’s. 
fervant to conduct us from hence, but would feek meafures. 
for our fafety the other way,.or wait at Sennaar, expecting, 
our arrival daily; for the way from Kuara was through a. 
number of outlawed, or banditti Arabs, fo that it was not- 
in. the power of the government of Sennaar, if ever fo well 
inclined,. 
