ih 
THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 405 
and faw it was begun, There. was to be a total eclipfe 
of the moon. I didnot tell them at jirft, till ic had advanced 
fome way, and was apparent upon the difk. “ Now! look at 
that, faid I ; in fome time after this the. moon fhall be fo total- 
ly fwallowed up in darknefs, that a {mall light fhall only be 
feen in the edges.” They were frightened at the denuncia- 
- tion, rather than at any thing they obferved, till a little be- 
fore the eclipfe became total. A violent apprehenfion then: 
fell upon them all; and the women from their apartments 
began to howl as they doon all melancholy occafions of 
misfortune, or death. They were in the inner {fquare. 
* Now, continued I, I have kept my word; it will foon be: 
clear again, and will do no-harm to man or beatt.” 
Ir was agreed among them that I fhould not go home’ 
ill it was totally at an end. I confented to this; and only 
faid to the Shekh, that I withed he would let me fee my pa- 
tients before I went away, for that one of them was really 
ul, and needed advice. He feemed to take it very kindly, 
and defired me to go in.. I was met in the anti-chamber by 
Aifcach, and two or three black flaves, who cried. out in 
great terror, “ Q! Hakim! what is this! what are you going. 
to do!” “Iam going to do, Madam, faid I, one of the moft 
difagreeable things I ever did in my life; I am going to 
take leave of you.” I was immediately furrounded with 
a number of women, fome of them crying, fome of them 
with children in theirarms. I went into the room where 
the two. ladies were, whom I quieted and fatisfied to the 
utmoft of my power. We parted with reciprocal profeflions 
of friendfhip and regret at feparation, I then begged that 
I might {ce their flave, who ufed to bring us meat, with a 
clean cloth, to wrap up fomething I had for them. They 
4 told 
