222 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
I never was in appearance more neglected, than in this pre- 
fent moment, by all but the Moors. Thefe were very grate- 
ful for the fuccefsful attention I had fhewed their children, 
and very defirous to have me again among them, Hagi 
Saleh, in particular, could not fatiate himfelf with curfing 
the ingratitude of thefe cafers, and infidels, the Chriftians. 
He knew what had pafled at Kofcam, he faw what he 
thought likely to happen now, and his anger was that of 
an honeft man, and which perhaps many former inftances 
which he had been witnefs of might have juftified, but in 
the prefent one he was miftaken. 
In the evening, Negadé Ras Mahoment came to my 
houfe; he faid Mahomet Gibberti was arrived, had been 
twice on private bufinefs with the Ras, but had not yet de- 
livered him his prefents; and he had not informed me of 
this, as he thought I was fill at Kofcam, and that Saleh 
his brother knew nothing of it, as he had not feen him 
fince he came home. He alfo informed me that Ayto Aylo 
was with the Ras twice the day after he entered Gondar, 
and once with Mahomet Gibberti: all this was about me; 
and that, at Ayto Aylo’s propofal, it was agreed that I fhould 
be appointed Palambaras, which is matter of the king’s 
horfe. It is a very great office, both for rank, and revenue, 
but has no bufinefs attending it; the young Armenian had 
before enjoyed it. I told Mahomet, that, far from being 
any kindnefs to me, this would make me the moft unhappy 
of all creatures ; that my extreme defire was to fee the coun- 
try, and its different natural productions; to converfe with the 
people as a ftranger, but to be nobody’s mafter nor fervant ; 
to fee their books ; and, above all, to vifit the fources of the 
Nile; to live as Be in my own houfe, and have as 
much 
