THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 321 



The old fellow and the boy now came down without 

 fear to the boat, when I gave them tobacco, fome beads, and 

 antimony, and did every thing to gain the father's confidence. 

 But he ftill fmiled and laughed, and I faw clearly he had taken 

 his refolution. The whole burden of his fong was, to per- 

 fuade me to come on fhore, and he mentioned every induce- 

 ment, and all the kindnefs that he would fhew me. " It 

 is fit, you old rogue, faid I, that, now your life is in my 

 hands, you fhould know how much better men there are 

 in the world than you. They were my countryrnen, eleven 

 or twelve of whom you murdered about three years ago, 

 in the very place where you are now fitting, and though I 

 could have killed the fame number to-day, without any 

 danger to myfelf, I have not only let them go away, but 

 have bought and fold with you, and given you prefents, when, 

 according to your own law, I fhould have killed both you 

 and your fon. Now do not imagine, knowing what I know, 

 that ever you fhall decoy me afhore ; but if you will bring 

 me a branch of the myrrh tree, and of the incenfe tree to- 

 morrow, I will give you two fonduclis for each of them." 

 He faid, he would do it that night. " The fooner the bet- 

 ter, faid I, for it is now becoming dark." Upon this he fent 

 away his boy, who in lefs than a quarter of an hour came 

 back with a branch in his hand. 



I could not contain my joy, I ordered the boat to be drawn 

 upon the fhore, and Went out to receive it ; but, to my great 

 difappointment, I found that it was a branch of Acacia, 

 or Sunt, which we had every where met with in Egypt, Sy- 

 ria, and Arabia. I told him, this was of no ufe, repeating 

 the word Gerar, Sa'iel^ Sunt. He anfwered Eh owah Saiel; but 

 being afked for the myrrh (mour), he faid it was far up 

 - Vol. L S f in 



