THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. £43 
ftride upon her belly before her hind-legs, and gave her a 
very deep wound in the upper part of her buttock. 
From the time I had feen them throw the beaft upon the 
ground, I had rejoiced, thinking, that when three people 
were killing a cow, they muft have agreed to fell part of 
her to us; and I was much difappointed upon hearing the 
Abyflinians fay, that we were to pafs the river to the other 
fide, and not encamp where I intended. Upon my propofing 
they fhould bargain for part of the cow, my men anfwered 
what they had already learned in converfation, that they 
were not then-to-kill hér, that fhe was not wholly theirs, and 
they could not fell her. This awakened my curiofity; Iletmy 
people go forward, and ftaid myfelf, till I faw, with the ut- 
moft aftonifhment, two pieces, thicker, and-longer than our 
ordinary beef fteaks, cut out of the higher part of the buttock 
of the beaft. How it was done I cannot pofitively fay, becaufe 
judging the cow was to be killed fromthe moment I faw the: 
knife drawn, I. was not anxious to view that cataftrophe, 
which was by no means an object of curiofity; whatever 
way it was done, it furely was adroitly, and the two picces 
were {pread upon the outfide of one of their fhields. 
- One of them full continued holding the head, while the 
othertwo were bufied in curing the wound. This too wasdone 
not in.an ordinary manner; the {kin which had covered the 
flefh that was taken away was left entire, and flapped over 
the wound; and was faftened to:the correfponding part by 
two or more {mall fkewers, or pins. Whether they had put 
any thing under the {kin between that and the woundedtlefh 
¥ know not, but at the river fide where they were, they had 
prepared a cataplafm of clay, with which they covered the 
wound; 
