246 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
‘Mafcal could do. We have one half of the:candle left ftill; 
it is the thinneft, weakeft half, and.I fhall put the wick fore- 
moft, becaufe the cotton is fofteft.” The table being now 
“properly placed, to Engedan’s utmoft aftonifhment the can- 
dle, with the wick foremoft, went through the table, as the 
other had gone through the'three fhields. “ By St Michael! 
fays Engedan, Yagoube, hereafter fay to me you can raife 
my father Efhté from the grave, and | will believe you.” 
Some priefts who were there, though furprifed at firft, feem- 
ed afterward to treat it rather lightly, becaufe they thought 
it below their dignity to be furprifed at any thing. They 
faid it was done (mucktoub) by writing, by which they 
meant magic. ‘Every body embraced that opinion as an 
-evident and rational one, and fo the wonder with them 
ceafed. But it was not fo with the king: It made the moft 
favourable and lafting impreflion upon his mind; nor did 
I ever after fee, in his countenance, any marks either of 
doubt or diffidence, but always, on the contrary, the moft 
decifive proofs.of friendfhip, confidence, and attention, and 
the moft implicit belief of every thing I advanced upon any 
fubject from my own knowledge. 
THE experiment was twice tried afterwards in prefence 
of Ras Michael. But he would not riik his good fhields, 
and always produced the table, faying, “ Engedan and 
thofe foolifh boys were rightly ferved; they thought Ya- 
goube was a liar like themfelves, and they loft their fhields; 
but I believed him, and gave him my table for curiofity only, 
-and fo I faved mine.” : . 
_ As I may now fay I was fettled in this country, and had 
an opportunity of being informed of the manners, govern- 
2 ment, 
