ai 
THE SOURCE OF THE NILE 641 
my forrow, to treat the inquiry about the fource of the Nile 
as a violent effort of a diftempered fancy :— 
What’s Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, 
That he fhould weep for her ?— 
Grief or defpondency now rolling upon me like a torrent; © 
relaxed, not refrefhed, by unquiet and imperfect fleep, I ftart- 
ed from my bed in the utmoft agony ; I went to the door 
of my tent; every thing was itill; the Nile, at whofe head 
I ftood, was not capable either to promote or to interrupt 
my flumbers, but the coolnefs and ferenity of the night 
braced my nerves, and chafed away thofe phantoms that, 
while in bed, had oppreffed and tormented me. 
Ir was true, that numerous dangers, hardfhips, and for~ 
rows had befet me through this half of my excurfion; but 
it was fill as true, that another Guide, more powerful than 
my own courage, health, or underftanding, if any of thefe 
can be called man’s own, had uniformly protected me in all 
that tedious half; I found my confidence not abated, that 
ftill the fame Guide was able to condud&t me to my now 
wifhed-for home: I immediately refumed my former forti- 
tude, confidered the Nile indeed as no more than rifing from 
fprings, as all other rivers do, but widely different in this, 
that it was the palm for three thoufand years held out to 
all the nations in the world as a detur digniffimo, which, in 
my cool hours, I had thought was worth the attempting at 
the rifk of my life, which [had long either refolved to lofe, 
or lay this difcovery, a trophy in which I could have no 
competitor, for the honour of my country, at the feet of my 
fovereign, whofe fervant I was. 
Vou. IIL, ' 4M I Hap 
