THE SOURCE OF THE NILE 109 
een, had paffed between us fince conferring the favour. 
Underftanding now what was the matter, he called. Yafine, 
and gave hima large package, which he imprudently open- 
ed, in which was a treafure of all the beads. in fafhion, al? 
but the white and blue bugles, and thefe Yafine himfelf fur- 
nithed us with afterwards.. 
A creat fhout was fet up by the women - purchafers;- 
and a violent fcramble followed... Twenty or thirty threw 
themfelves upon the parcel; tearing and breaking all the 
firings as if they intended to plunder us.. This joke did not: 
feem to be relifhed by the fervants.. Their hard-heartednefs 
before, in profefling’ they would let us ftarve rather thar 
give us a-handful of ‘flour for all-our unfafhionable beads, 
had quite extingutfhed the regard we elfé wold have un- 
avoidably fhewn:to the fair fex:. A dozen of whips and 
fticks were laid unmercifully upon their hands: and arms, 
till each dropped her booty.. The Abyflinian’ men that 
came with them feemed ‘to be perfectly unconcerned at-the 
fray, and ftood laughing without the leaft fign of wifhing 
to interfere in favour of either fide. I believe ‘the reftitution 
would not have-been’complete, had not Yafine, who knew 
the country well, fired one of the fhip-blunderbuffes -into - 
the air behind their backs. At hearing fo unexpectedly 
this dreadful noife, both mren and - women-fell flat on their’ 
faces ; the women were immediately dragged off the cloth, 
and I-do not believe there was ftrength left in-any hand:to- 
grafp or carryaway afingle bead. My men immediately wrap- 
ped the whole in the cloth, fo for atime our-market ended. - 
For my part, at the firft appearance of the ‘combat Ihad_ 
- withdrawn myfelf, and fat a quiet fpectator under a tree.. 
some: 
