376 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
inclined, to conduct us one Repis in fafety on that road till 
we fhould be within two days journey of Sennaar. The 
fervant therefore propofed, that he fhould return inftantly 
to Beyla, (as he did that night) and that his mafter fhould 
fend a meffenger on a dromedary exprefs to Sennaar, to in- 
form Hagi Belal of our fituation, and procure immediate re- 
lief. He promifed further, that his mafter fhould fend a 
Moullah, (or man of extraordinary holinefs and learning) 
* in whofe prefence Shekh Fidele would not dare to proceed 
to extremities, asthis was a man univerfally efteemed, and 
of great weight and reputation at Sennaar, both with Abou 
Calec and Adelan, as well as throughout Atbara. 
I must here obviate a very reafonable objeG@tion which 
may be made by my reader:—* Why, when you knew your > 
fafety depended upon the government of Sennaar, when - 
you was arrived at Teawa, did you not take the firft oppor- 
tunity of notifying it to Fidele, that you had already fent_ 
to acquaint your corref{pondent at Sennaar that you had fet 
out for that place?” JTanfwer, That todo this had been 
many times in agitation among us, but was always reject- 
ed. It was thought a dangerous meafure to leave a man 
like Fidele, the only perfon whe had feen us, to give us any 
character and defcription he pleafed, who, from the con- 
nection and correfpondence he muft have in that capital, 
and the confidence neceflarily placed in him, as governor 
of a frontier province, might fo far prejudice the minds of 
that credulous and brutal people, by mifr eprefenting us, as 
either to get orders to cut us off upon our journey, or pro- 
cure us a fate fimilar tothat of M. du Roule, the French en- 
voy, after our arriving inthat capital. It was by the good- 
nefs of Providence alone that’ we were reftrained from 
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