THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 447 
Jidda to his countrymen.” ’To which Belal replied, “:The 
king will find fome way when he thinks farther of it. 
A Frew days after this I had a meffage from the palace. 
I found the king fitting alone, apparently much chagrined, 
and in ill:-humour. He afked me, ina very peevith man+ 
ner, “If I was not yet gone?’ 'To which I anfwered, “ Your 
Majefty knows that it isimpoflible for me to'go a ftep from 
Sennaar without affiftance from you.” He again afked me, 
in’ the fame tone as before, “ How I could think of coming 
that way?” I faid, nobody imagined in: Abyflinia but that 
he was able'to givea ftranger fafe conduc through his own 
dominions.” | He made no reply, but nodded a fign for me 
to depart, whicli I. shears Sen did, and fo finithed this — 
‘but ede ‘Senin interview. | 
“ ABour four fo) reloek ene afternoon I was again fent 
for to the palace, when the king told me that feveral of 
his wives were ill; and defired that I would give them my 
advice, which I promifed to do without difficulty, as all 
acquaintance with the fair fex had hitherto been much to 
my advantage. -I mutt confefs, however, that calling thefe 
the fair fex is not preferving a precifion in terms. I was 
admitted into a large fquare apartment very ill lighted, in 
which were about fifty women, all perfectly black, without 
any covering but a very narrow piece of cotton rag about 
their waifts. While I was‘mufing whether or not thefe all 
might be queens, or whether there was any queen among 
them, one’of them took me by the hand and led me rudely 
enough into another apartment. ‘This was much. better 
digited than the firft. Upon a ied bench, or fofa, covered 
ciSy: Tage . ; with 
A. 
