416 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
homewards acrofs the plain, as they apprehended, from fear 
of the approach of our party. He had, indeed, for fome days, 
been guilty of great irregularities ; had flain two men, and 
wounded the fon of Mahomet, the Shum, or chief of Alata, 
in attempting to take from him the revenue due from that 
territory to the king; after which they had been beat back 
by Mahomet without their booty, and nothing more was 
known of them. 
Tus brought us to Negade Ras Mahomet’s houfe, who 
killed a cow for Netcho, or rather allowed him to kill one 
for himfelf; for it is equal to a renunciation of Chriftianity 
to eat meat when the beaft is flaughtered by a Mahometan. 
Strates, who from his infancy, in his own country, had fared 
on nothing elfe, was not fo fcrupulous, though he conceal- 
ed it; he therefore had a very hearty fupper privately with 
Negadé Ras Mahomet and his family, who very willingly 
promifed to get his new cloaths ready by the next morn- 
ing. 
As I was myfelf, however, full of thoughts upon the dif- 
ficulties and dangers I was already engaged in, and of the 
profpect of ftill greater before me, I had no ftomach for - 
either of their fuppers, but ordered fome coffee, and went 
to bed. After [ lay down I defired Negadé Ras Mahomet to 
come to me, and, when we were alone, I interrogated him 
if he knew any thing of the rebellion in Begemder. At 
firft he declared he did not; he laughed at the no-* 
tion of Guebra Mehedin and Confu being Fit-Auraris to 
Gufho and Powuffen, and faid, that either of thefe generals 
would hang them the firft time they came into their hands. 
He told me, however, that Woodage Afahel had been aflem- 
Cae | bling 
