THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 419 
- poffible, leaving the reft to heaven.”—* Well, fays he, I 
fhall do fo. I think, likewife, for your comfort, that, barring 
unforefeen accidents, you may do it at this time, without 
great danger. Guebra Mchedin will not come between this 
town and Alata, becaufe we are all one people, and the killing 
two men, and wounding Mahomet’s fon, makes him a dim- 
menia*, At Alata he knows the Shum is ready to receive 
him as he deferves, and he is himfelf afraid of Kafmati 
Ayabdar, with whom he is as deep in guilt as with us, and 
here he well knows he dare not venture for many reafons.” 
“ Ayabdar, faid I, pafled the Karoota three days ago.” 
“ Well, well, replied Mahomet, fo much the better. Ayabdar 
has the leprofy, and goes every year once, fometimes twice, 
to the hot wells at Lebec ; they muft pafs near one another, 
and that is the reafon Guebra Méhedin has aflembled all 
thefe banditti of horfe about him. He is a beggar, and a 
fpendthrift ; a fortnight ago he fent to me to borrow twen- 
ty ounces of gold. You may be fure I did not lend it him; 
‘he is too much in my debt already ; and I hope Ras Michael 
will give you his head in your hand before winter, for the 
fhameful action he has been guilty of to you and yours 
this day. | 
“ Woopace Asauet, faid I, what fay you of him ?”— 
“ Why, you know, replied Mahomet, nobody can inform 
you about his motions, as he is perpetually on horfeback, 
and never refts night nor day ; however, he has no bufinefs 
on this fide of the water, the rather that he muft bé fure 
Ras Michael, when he pafled here, took with him all the 
3G2 | king’s 
* Guilty of our blood, and fubject to the laws of retaliation. 
