THE SOURCE OF THE. NILE. 429 
7s 
STRATES proceeded—* We were crofling the plain below 
Dara, and not being inclined to go into the town without 
you, we made toa large daroo-tree, and fat. down to reft 
ourfelves till you fhould come up. As the ground was 
fomewhat elevated, we faw feveral horfes in the bed of a 
torrent where there was no water running, and, when thefe 
were pulled up the bank, their mafters got immediately 
upon them. I conceived the one with the red fafh upon’ 
his head was Guebra Mehedin, and prefently eight or ter 
naked people, armed with: lances.and fhields, came out of 
the hole neareft me: I was furprifed, and thought they 
might be robbers, and, kneeling down upon one Enee, I 
prefented the large blunderbufs at them. On this they all 
ran back totheir hole, and fell flat on their faces ; and they 
did well; I fhould have given them a confounded pepper- 
mg.”—“ Certainly, faid I, there is little doubt of that.”— 
‘“ You may laugh, continued Strates, but the firft thing I 
faw near me was Confu and Guebra Mehedin, the one with 
a red, the other a kind of white fillet tied round his fore- 
head.. © ho! friend, fays Guebra Mehedin, where are you 
going? and held out his hand to me as. kindly, familiarly, 
and chearfully as poflible. I immediately laid down my 
blunderbufs, and went to kifs his hand. You know they 
are the good old-queen’s nephews; and I thought if their 
houfe was near we fhould have good entertainment, and 
fome merriment that night. I then faw one of their 
fervants lift the blunderbufs from the ground, but ap- 
parently with fear, and the reft took poiflefiion of the 
mules and baggage. I began to afk Guebra Mehedia what 
this meant? and faid accidentally, ewte you ! inftead of fpeak- 
ing it extow, as you know they pronounce it to great people. 
Without further provocation he gave me a lafh with his. 
whip 
