THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, 575 
J 
Stratzs had refufed to go to the firft cataract, having fo 
violent an appetite that he could not abandon the cow; 
and, after my arrival, it.was his turn to watch that night. 
When I was lain down to reft in a little hovel like a hog’s 
fly, near where they were fitting, I1heard a warm difpute 
among the fervants, and, upon inquiry, found Strates was 
preparing fteaks on a gridiron to make an entertainment 
for himfelf while the reft were fleeping ; thefe, on the 
other hand, were refolved to play him a trick to punifh 
his gluttony. When the tleaks were fpread upon the 
gridiron, Woldo had undertaken to pour fome fine duft, or 
fand, through the hole in the roof, which ferved as a chim- 
ney; and this he had done with fuccefs as often as Strates 
went to any diftance from the fire. Not content, however, 
with the pofition in which he then was, but defirous to do 
it more effectually, he attempted to change his place upon 
the roof where he ftood, thinking it all equally ftrong to 
bear him; but in this he was miftaken; the part he was 
removing to fuddenly gave way, and down he came upon 
the floor, bringing half the roof and part of the wall, 
together with a prodigious duit, into the fire. ‘ 
Tue furprife and fight of his own danger made Woldo 
repeat fome ejaculation to himfelf in Galla. My fervants, 
who were waiting the fuccefs of the fcheme, cried, The 
Galla! the Galla! and Strates, who thought the whole ar- 
my of wild Galla had furrounded the houfe, fell upon his 
face, calling Maruni! Maruni!—Spare me! fpare me!—I 
was in a profound fleep when roufed by the noife of the 
roof, the falling of the man, and the cry of Galla! Galla! I 
ftarted up, and laid hold of a mufket loaded with flugs, a 
bayonet at the end of it, and ran to the door, when the firft 
E thing 
