450 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
Afterwards came the old Ras on his mule, with feveral of 
his friends fwimming both with and without their horfes. 
on each fide of him, in a manner truly wonderful. He feem- 
ed to have loft his accuftomed calmnefs, and appeared a good 
deal agitated ; forbade, upon pain of death, any one to fol- 
low him directly, or to {wim over, as their cuftom is, hold- 
ing their mules by the tail. As foon as thefe were fafely 
afhore, the king’s houfehold and black troops, and I with. 
them, advanced cautioufly into the river, and {wam happily 
over, in a deep ftream of reddifh-coloured water, which ram 
without vielence almoft upon a level. 
Eacu horfeman had a mule in his hand, which fwam: 
after him, or by his fide, with his coat of mail and head- 
piece tied upon it. My horfe was a very ftrong one, and in 
good condition, and a fervant took charge of my mule and’ 
coat of mail, fo that, being unembarraffed, I had the hap- 
pinefs to get fafe and foon over, and up the path to the right 
without great difficulty, fo had moft others of the cavalry 
who fwam along with us; but the ground now began to be 
broken on both fides of the paflage, and it was almoft as dift 
ficult to get im, as it was to fcramble up the bank after-. 
wards. 
Quis cladem ilhus noétis, quis funera fando,, 
Temperet a lachrymis. 
VIRS: 
it is imapoffible to defcribe the confufion that followed; 
night was hard upon us, and, though it increafed our lofs, it 
m great meafure concealed it; a thoufand men had not yet 
pafied, though on mules and horfes; many mired in the 
muddy 
