244 TRAVELS ‘TO DISCOVER © 
Ican kill’a man witha candle, or not, is an experiment that 
fhould not be made, Tell me, however, what I fhall do be- 
fore you that you may deem an equivalent? Will piercing 
the table, upon which your dinner is ferved, (it was of fyca- 
more, about three quarters of an inch thick), at the length of 
this room, be déemed a fuflicient proof of what Iadvanced?” 
“ Au, Yagoube, Yagoube, fays the king, ‘take care what 
you fay. That is indeed more than Guebra Mafcal will 
do-at that diftance but take great care;. you don’t know 
thefe people; they will lie themfelves all day; nay, their 
whole life is one lie; but of you they’ expect better, or 
would be glad to find worfe; take care.”.: Ayto Engedan, 
who was then prefent, faid, “ I am fure if Yagoube fays he 
can do it, he will doit; but how, I don’t know. Can you 
fhoot through my fhield with a tallow candle ?”—“ To you, 
Ayto Engedan, faid I, I can fpeak freely; I could fhoot thro’ 
your fhield if it was the ftrongeft in the army, and kill the 
ftrongeft man in the army that held it before him. When 
will you fee this tried ?’—“ Why now, fays the king ; there 
is nobody bere.” — The fooner the better, faid I; 1 would not 
with to remain for a moment longer under fo difagreeable 
an imputation as that of lying, an infamous one in my 
country, whatever it may be in this. Let me fend for my 
gun; the king will look out at the window.”——“ Nobody, fays, 
he, knows any thing of it ; zobedy will come.” 
Tue king appeared to be very anxious, and, I faw plain- 
ly, incredulous. The gun was brought; Engedan’s fhield was 
produced, which was of aftrong buffalo’s hide. I faid to him, 
“ This is a weak one, give me one ftronger.” He fhook-his 
4 head, 
