“396 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
“been more prudent in you, and more civil, not to have made 
your obfervation. 
Tue prince was much abafhed. I haftened acrofs the 
carpet, and took both his hands and kiffed them; the laugh- 
ers did not feem much at their eafe, c{fpecially when I turn- 
ed and ftood before the king. He was kind, fenfible, com- 
pofed, and condefcending ; he complained that I had aban-. 
doned him; afked if I had been well-ufed at Emfras, and 
doubted that I had wanted every thing; but I fent you no- 
thing on purpofe, fays he, becaufe you faid fafting would 
do you good after too much feafting at Gondar, and I knew 
that hunger would bring you foon back again to us. If 
your majefty, faid I, takes the prince’s word, I have been 
caroufing to-day in your camp more than ever I did at 
Gondar; and,I do aflure your majefty, prince George’s re- 
flections were not without foundation, — 
Come, come, fays the king, Georgis is your firm and faft 
friend, and fo he ought, he owes it to you that he is fo able a 
horfeman and fo good a markfman, without which he could 
never be more than acommon foldier. He has commanded a 
divifion of the army to-day ;—“ Of 500 horfe, cries out the 
prince in extacy; and, when the king my brother to-morrow 
leads the van, you fhall be my Fit-Auraris, if you pleafe, when 
we pafs the Nile, and with my party I fhall fcour Maitfha.” I 
fhould be very unhappy, prince, faid I, to have a charge of that 
importance, for which I know myfelf to be totally unquali- 
fied; there are many brave men who have a title to that of- 
fice, and who will fill it with honour to themfelves and 
fafety to your perfon. So you will not truft yourfelf, fays 
the prince, with me and my party when we fhall crofs the 
® : Nile? 
rd 
