THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, Alt 
ly naked,with a long gun upon his fhoulder, without powder 
or fhot, but prancing and capering about in a great paflion, 
and {wearing a number of Greek oaths, which nobody there 
underftood a word of but myfelf. This fpectacle was ra- 
ther diverting for fome minutes; at laft Netcho, though I 
believe he was not over-well provided, gave him an upper 
cloak to wrap round him. It was not then warm, indeed, 
but it was not very cold. After recovering the mule, he got 
on between the panniers, and I advifed him to put the fmall- 
eft carpet about him, which he foon after did; he had not 
yet {poke a word to me from fullennefs. 
“Srrates, faid I, my good friend, lay afide that long 
gun, for you will fall and break it, befides, it hath not 
been charged fince it was fired at Guebra Mehedin. If you 
carry it to ftrike terror, it is altogether unneceflary ; for, if 
we had dreffed you as you are now accoutred, when we 
fent you forward with the baggage to Dara, there is not a 
thief in all Begemder would have ventured to come near 
you.” He looked at me with a countenance full of anger 
and contempt, though he faid nothing; but, in Greek, pro- 
nounced anathemas againft the father of Guebra Mehedin, 
according to the Greek form of curfing. “Curfe himfelf 
‘and his brother, faid I, and not his father, for he has been 
‘dead thefe twenty years.”—‘“ I will curfe whom I pleate, 
days he, in a great paffion, I curfe his father, himfelf, and 
‘his brother, the Ras, and the king, and everybody that has 
‘brought me into fuch a f{crape as I have been to-day. I 
have been ftripped naked, and within an mch of having my 
throat cut, befides being gelded; and well may you laugh 
mow at the figure] make. If you had feen thofe damned 
crooked knives, with their black hands, all begging, as if it 
3) 3 had 
