THE SOURCE OF THE NILE 433 
- fered no other civility or falutation, but, fhaking me each by 
_ the hand, they played on,without lifting their heads, or lock- 
ing me in the face. 
Gusuo began by afking me, “ Would it not have been 
better if you had gone with me to Amhara, as I defired you, 
when I faw you laft at Gondar? you would have faved your- 
felf a great deal of fatigue and trouble in that dangerous 
march through Maitfha.” To this I anfwered, “It is hard 
for me, who am a ftranger, to know what is beft to be done 
in fuch a country as this, I was, as you may have heard, 
the king’s gueft, and was favoured by him}; it was my duty 
therefore to attend him, efpecially when he defired it; and 
fuch I am informed has always been the cuftom of the coun- 
try; befides, Ras Michael laid his commands upon me.” On 
this, fays Powuffen, fhaking his head, “ You fee he cannot 
forget Michael and the ligré yet.”—“ Very naturally, added 
Gutho, they were good to him; he was a great man in their 
time ; they gave him confiderable fums of money, and he 
fpent it all among his own foldiers, the king’s guard, which 
they had given him to command after the Armenian. Ya- 
‘goube taught him and his brother George to ride on horfe- 
back like the Franks, and play tricks with guns and pikes 
on horfeback ; folly, all.of it to be fure, but I never heard 
he meddled in affairs, or that he fpoke ill of any one, much 
lefs did any harm, like thofe rafcals the Greeks when they 
- were in favour in Joas’s time, for it was not their fault they 
did not direct every thing.’’—* I hope I never did, faid I; fure 
I am I never fo intended, nor had Iany provocation. I have 
received much good ufage from every one; and the honour, 
if Ido not forget, of a great many profeffions and affurances 
of friendfhip from you, faid I, turning to Gufho. He hefi- 
‘ BP 2 tated 
