CHAP. V.

Transactions at Teawa—Attempts of the Shekh to detain the Author there—Administer Medicines to him and his Wives—Various Conversations with him, and Instances of his Treachery.

At the passage of the small river, about a quarter of a mile from Teawa, we were met by a man on horseback, cloathed with a large, loose gown of red camlet, or some such stuff, with a white muslin turban upon his head, and about 20 naked, beggarly servants on foot, with lances, but no shields; two small drums were beating, and a pipe playing before them. He stopt upon my coming near them, and affected a delicacy in advancing to salute me, he being on horseback, and I upon a mule, for my horse was led behind, saddled and bridled, with a loose blue cloth covering him. Soliman, who first accosted him, told him it was the custom of Abyssinia not to mount horses but in time of war, upon which he immediately dismounted, and, upon seeing this, I alighted likewise. We saluted one another very courteously. He was a man about seventy, with a very long beard, and of a very graceful appearance. It was with the utmost difficulty I could prevail upon him to mount his horse, as he declared his intention was to walk by the side of my mule till he entered the town of Teawa. This being over-ruled, by an invincible obstinacy on my part, he was at last constrained to mount on horseback, which he did with an agility only to be expected from a young man of twenty.

Being mounted, he shewed us a variety of paces on horseback. All this, too, was counted a humiliation and politeness on his part, as playing tricks, and prancing on horseback, is never done but by young men before their elders, or by meaner people before their superiors. We passed by a very commodious house, where he ordered my servants to unload my baggage, that being the residence assigned for me by the Shekh. He and I, with Soliman on foot by the side of my mule, crossed an open space of about five hundred yards, where the market is kept; he protested a thousand times by the way, what a shame it was to him to appear on horseback, when a great man like me was riding on a mule.

A little after, having passed this square, we came to the Shekh's house, or rather a collection of houses, one storey high, built with canes; near the street, at entering, there was a large hall of unburnt brick, to which we ascended by four or five steps. The hall was a very decent one, covered with straw-mats; and there was in the middle of it, a chair[25], understood to be the place of the grand signior. The Shekh himself was sitting on the ground for humility's sake, reading the Koran, or pretending to read it. At our entry he seemed to be surprised, and made an attempt as if to rise up, which immediately I prevented him from doing, holding him down by the hand, which I kissed.

I shall not fatigue the reader with the uninteresting conversation that passed at this first interview. He affected to admire my size and apparent strength, introduced some loose hints about Abyssinian women; and, in general, pretended to blame me for exposing myself to travel in such a country. In return, I complained of the extreme fatigue of the journey and heat, the beasts of prey, the thick woods without shade, the want of water, and, above all, the poisonous blasts of the simoom that had almost overcome me, the effects of which I was at that instant feeling.

He then blamed himself very politely, in a manner natural to the Arabs, for having suffered me to come to him before I had reposed myself, which he excused by his desire of seeing so great a man as me. He said also, that he would detain me no longer; bid me repose a day or two in quiet and in safety; and, upon my rising to go away, he got up likewise, and holding me by the hand, said, "The greatest part of the dangers you have passed in the way are, I believe, as yet unknown to you. Your Moor, Yasine, of Ras el Feel, is a thief worse than any in Habesh. Several times you escaped very narrowly, by mere chance, from being cut off, especially at Rashid, by the Arabs Daveina, whom Yasine had posted there to murder you. But you have a clean heart, and clean hands. God saw their designs, and protected you; and, I may say also, on my own part, I was not wanting."

Being then on my legs for retiring, I returned no answer, but the usual one (Ullah Kerim) i. e. God is merciful. Soliman, on the other side, echoed, "Ullah Kerim!" by which I saw he understood me. We both went out, and were conducted to the apartment provided by the old man in the red cloak, who met us on our first arrival at the river, and who now walked before me till we came to the house. It was a very decent one, consisting only of one large room, and stood close upon the river. This situation was chosen with an intention to keep open the correspondence with the Shekh of Nile's servant, whom we had sent to the Jehaina, and who occasionally was to meet us there; but Soliman told the old man, it was necessary to me, on account of frequent ablutions before prayer, which my religion obliged me to perform. This old man was called Hagi Soliman Kaiya, that is, the Shekh's Lieutenant. He had been at Mecca, and had seen Metical Aga, and knew his post and consequence; but he was a murderer and robber like his master, a liar and dissembler beyond all conception.

We had scarce taken possession of our lodging, or thrown off our clothes to put ourselves at our ease, when several slaves of both sexes, brought us a quantity of dishes of meat from the Shekh, with many flattering compliments and good wishes. The whole was dispatched very speedily, and some of our poor companions of the caravan, with the salt, came and helped us very thankfully, without ceremony, as is the custom of the country. When all was over, I was astonished at one young man, who came and put his mouth close to my ear, saying these few words in Arabic, "Seitan Fidele! el Shekh el Atbara Seitan!" i. e. Fidele is a devil! the Shekh of Atbara is the devil himself!

All strangers were now dismissed, under pretence of our going immediately to repose. We had, indeed, much need of rest in our present situation, but still more of council, for which we immediately assembled by ourselves, after having shut the door. I asked Soliman what he thought of the Shekh of Atbara, and his discourse. He answered, without hesitation, "He is a traitor, has deceived Yasine, and means you ill." The word, great man, so often applied to me—the abuse bellowed upon Yasine, whom in his letters he had called his dear brother—the wondering that I came that way, after, in his letters, and by his servants, he had so often persuaded us, while at Ras el Feel, that it was the best, nay, the only road possible; all this united together, seemed to leave us no doubt but that we had fallen into a trap, from which our own activity and resolutions, under the protection of Providence, could alone release us.

It may be remembered that, some time before our setting out from Ras el Feel, I had dispatched a servant with the Daveina to Sennaar, whom they were to escort as far as Beyla; and they had consigned him into the hands of Mahomet, Shekh of Beyla, who was to forward him to Sennaar; and this he certainly would have done immediately without delay, but for a misfortune that happened, and entirely disconcerted the plan. The Daveina, on their way to Beyla, had heard that an encampment of Arabs, (who usually, at this time, occupy the banks of the Nile) had come eastward towards Atbara. Whether the Daveina intended to attack these Arabs, or were afraid the Arabs intended to fall upon them, I know not; but they returned westward to the left, instead of coming to Beyla; they sent my servant forward, after some loss of time, and Mahomet, Shekh of Beyla, had forwarded him to Sennaar. Here, too, he was detained by Shekh Adelan, the first minister, who happened then not to be at Sennaar, but levying taxes upon the Arabs. This we did not know at that time; so every moment we expected his arrival. We were disappointed, likewise, in not finding a servant of the Shekh of Beyla waiting for us, who was to inform us of the situation of the country about Beyla. This we more wondered at, because, being ill of the gravel, he had expressed himself very anxious, in his letter to Yasine, to have some lime-water, which his servant was to get from me at Teawa. We did not then know, as we soon afterwards did, that this servant had been waiting for us at Teawa, and that Shekh Fidele had informed him that I was no longer coming by Atbara, but that Coque Abou Barea had sent me, under the care of some Ganjar horse, straight down the Dender from Kuara; so that the Shekh of Beyla did not expect to see me.

All this being unknown to us; we were in constant expectation of servants from Sennaar, and the message from the Shekh of Beyla. But, as we all agreed we were in danger, we resolved, the next day, at meeting Shekh el Nile's servant, to dispatch him to Ras el Feel, requiring Yasine to send some person, as from the king or Ayto Confu, to ask the reason of our being detained, and to be a witness of the Shekh's behaviour and our departure. In the mean time, we determined to make our interviews with him as few as possible, till some assistance should arrive. Soliman met the Shekh el Nile's servant, and gave him the letter he was to carry to Yasine, explaining himself to the Arab by word of mouth.

On the night of the 24th of March, the day after our arrival, our dispatch set off from Jibbel Isriff for Ras el Feel; where he arrived safely, but found Yasine was gone to Ayto Confu at Tcherkin, else he would certainly have been the first to bring us comfort, for he had executed his commission with great fidelity. This day I had staid in the house, being ill of the simoom; but had sent to Fidele, to let him know I should wait upon him next day, having as yet given him no present, and being desirous to know what effect that might have.

On the 25th, at four o'clock I waited upon the Shekh accordingly, in his own house. Soliman the Moor, Hagi Ismael the Turk, who, besides, was a sherriffe, and my Greek servant, were along with me. I gave the Shekh, for a present, a large piece of blue Indian cotton cloth, with gold flowers, a silk and cotton sash, about two ounces of civet, two pounds of nutmegs, and ten pounds of pepper. He received the presents very graciously to appearance, and laid all the articles down beside him. I desired that he would dispatch me as soon as possible, and, for that end, be preparing the camels. He answered, the camels were fifteen days journey off, in the sandy desert, for fear of the flies; but that the want of them should not detain us, if he had leave from Sennaar, for which he was to write that night. He added, that they always were exceedingly tedious at Sennaar, and both the town and road were, at present, in a very unsettled state. I told him, I was surprised at this, as Hagi Belal had written to Yasine and myself also, in a letter (then in my custody) that orders were gone both to him and the Shekh of Beyla, to receive me kindly, and forward me safely and speedily to Sennaar: that he himself had confessed this to Yasine in a letter written to him from Teawa, desiring that I would come speedily, as he had every thing ready, which letter I myself had read. Fidele seemed in the utmost surprise at this. He lifted up his hands and eyes, as if I had been telling the greatest of lies. He said, "he never wrote a letter about me to Yasine in his life; or, at least, not this year; that it was all a forgery of Yasine, knowing that I had a quantity of gold with me, to get me out into the desert, to rob and murder me there; that I might see he never could receive such orders, or else it would have been as much as his life was worth, not to have prepared to dispatch me immediately; but so far from that, says he, seek all over the town, and if you find one camel, or any other number, I will make you a present of them all, for this is entirely a forgery of Yasine."

Soliman could bear this no longer. He told Fidele, "That it was he who was a forger and a liar, not Yasine. Will you persuade me that I do not know of your letter to Yasine? Have not your servants Ibrahim and Nasser lived with us at Ras el Feel for weeks together as bearers of these letters, which I have seen in their hands before reading, and also read them afterwards? Was I not speaking to them both this morning about the letters? and are not they just now waiting without? If you have a mind to call them in, and question them, do it now before me. What do you think Yasine will say when he hears of the fine character you give him?" "Soliman, replies the Shekh, in a very soft tone of voice, I may have forgotten, in the many letters and affairs that pass through my hands in a day; but Yasine is my brother, and I will do every thing for him and you that you could wish: stay only this week, and if my camels do not arrive, I will send and take them from the Arabs, wherever they can be found. They are for the king's business, and not mine." He said this with such an air of candour and sincerity, that it was impossible to doubt him.

On the 26th, I went in the forenoon to see the Shekh; I sat a few minutes with him, then rose to go away. He then inquired if I had any thing particular to ask? I answered, I had nothing but to pay my compliments to him. He made me a very civil bow, and I took my leave. Next day, the 27th, I staid in the house all day, it being the Shekh's festival. In the evening, the old man, who was the Kaiya, came to my house with compliments from the Shekh. He told me Fidele was often ill with complaints in the stomach, and hinted that it was from excessive drinking. He wished that I would give him some medicine to vomit him, and restore his appetite, which he had perfectly lost. The old man added, that this was the way to make the Shekh do what I wished, sooner than all the presents in the world. I told him, that he might assure Fidele, that I both could, and would do him that service, and for that purpose would wait upon him at 6 o'clock next evening.

On the 28th, in the evening I went to the Shekh's house with the medicine, and it answered all our expectations. I observed, however, when the cup with the ipecacuanha was in his hands, that they trembled, and also his under lip. He was apparently at that time under some apprehension, which his conscience suggested, of what it was in my power to do to him. In these countries they have an emetic which they take occasionally, which operates so violently, that it often throws them into convulsions. What it may be I know not. Some say it is the small seed of a flower like the poppy; some, the pith of a tree, after it has been dried and rubbed into a fine powder by the hand; whatever it may be, it is so severe in proportion to the strongest doze of ipecacuanha, that the latter seemed but like a sport in comparison. The ease that warm water occasioned, which he had never experienced before, was so unexpected, that he could hardly be satisfied with drinking. After this was over, all was thankfulness, and promises of doing whatever I should desire of him, provided I would administer two or three dozes more to him, and, if he forwarded me quickly, leave him some of the powder, with directions how to take it in my absence. This I engaged faithfully to do, and we parted apparently the best friends in the world.

The 29th, early in the morning, before sun-rise, I had a message from him again by the Kaiya, to whom I gave coffee at the door while I was dressing. He told me, the Shekh was wonderfully well, and never in such health and spirits in his life, but desired that I would come to him in the evening, for two of his wives were ill of the same disorder that he had. I excused myself, under pretence that it was Sunday, my festival, and that I never went out upon any business.

This excuse passed as to the Shekh, but at noon a black common slave came down with a message from her mistresses, who thought the answer given to the Kaiya was a refusal. They said, they were sorry if I had not meat to my liking; that they dressed it with their own hands every day in the best manner possible, but they would alter it in any respect I chose, if I would instruct them. I soon found how necessary it was to content my benefactresses. I explained my answer to the Shekh about Sunday; but assured them, that on Monday evening I should be with them, to vomit them till they were perfectly satisfied; in the mean time, I took a small cup, which I filled with civet, and sent it by the slave to her mistresses; giving likewise, at the same time, two handfuls of pepper for herself.

On the 30th, in the evening I went to the Shekh's house according to promise, and was carried into a large room, where he was sitting alone, smoaking in an alcove; I suppose meditating future mischief, for he had no other apparent employment. He was perfectly sober, however, and seemed rather thoughtful; was very civil, and thanked me in an unusual strain of kindness, for the care I had taken of his family. I asked him if he was recovered? He declared, he had never been so well in his life as since I had given him the last vomit; but that he had received very bad news from Sennaar, that Mahomet Abou Calec (the first minister) had taken the greatest part of the horse and troops, and was gone to Kordofan, a very distant province, surrounded with deserts, where he governed independently; and by his manners and discourse seemed resolved to withdraw himself from his duty to the king: That Shekh Adelan, his younger brother, with the remaining troops, had left Sennaar, and was encamped at Aira, a few miles from the town, where he too governed despotically by his own will; it being the prerogative of the minister to have absolute power as soon as he has left the capital, and put himself at the head of the army, for levying the tax from the Arabs; but that he had parted with the king on terms very little short of rebellion. He then said, "Since this is the case, that Providence has thrown your lot here, that you cannot go forward to Sennaar, nor back to Abyssinia, if you will resolve to stay with me, and turn Mahometan, which is the only true religion, I will give you my daughter for your wife, and you shall be second man in the government of Teawa; and as my intention is to go next year to Mecca, you shall then be appointed to the government of Atbara, while I go to Sennaar, and procure an office fitter for an old man."

Although I seldom, in my life, was less inclined to merriment, I affected to break out into a loud fit of laughter; at which he looked grave, seeming to take it ill, and asking me if I laughed at him? "Exactly so, said I, at you; I was laughing to think that a man set over a province to govern it, like you, should yet know so little of mankind as to imagine one like me capable of turning renegado. You may deny it for some purpose of your own, but I know you are well informed of the degree of favour and honour in which I was whilst in Abyssinia, where I had every thing that I desired. They were people of my religion, and yet I never could consent either to stay with them or marry among them. What then could be my inducement to marry here, to change my religion, and live in a country where there is nothing but poverty, misery, famine, fear, and dependence?" "Hearken, says he, you are a fool; this country is a thousand times healthier and sweeter than Abyssinia; but, since you wont take my advice, I shall say no more; come and see my Harem[26]."—"With all my heart, replied I, as far as that I will go, and shall be happy to do both you and your family all the good I can."

The Shekh went before me, through several apartments, well proportioned, but very meanly furnished, slovenly, and in bad order. This was the part of the house that belonged to himself, and formed one side of a square. We crossed the square to the opposite side, where there were several apartments furnished in a much better style. The floors were all covered with Turkey carpets. In an alcove sat one of his wives upon the ground, with a number of black slaves about her. Her face was uncovered; the circle made way for me; so that, first putting my hand to my lips, I touched the end of her fingers with the end of mine. In the mean time, the Shekh had brought a second wife from another apartment, and set her down beside the first. They were both women past the middle age, seemed to have a great many slaves attending them, but never had been handsome. One of them, I learned afterwards, was daughter to the first minister Shekh Adelan.

I thought it necessary to explain myself a little with Fidele. "You know, Shekh, said I, it is not always that you and I agree, and though I have lived many years with people of your religion of all ranks, yet I am far from knowing what are the manners of Atbara; what will offend you or them, or what not; for, as I have no view but your good and theirs, I would not expose myself to any ill usage to which a mistake of your customs may subject me. In short, I must ask these ladies a number of questions, which, if you choose to hear, you may, but no person else must, as is the custom of my country." "What has he to do with us and our physician? said the eldest of the two; all his business is to pay you money when you have made us well." "What would become of him, says Adelan's daughter, if we were to be ill? he would starve for want of people to make ready his meat."—"Aye, and his drink too, says the other, which he is fonder of than his meat."—"No, no, says Shekh Fidele, in perfect good humour, we know you, Hakim; you are not like us; ask them all the questions you please, I neither wish nor intend to hear them; I hear too much of them every day against my will, and only wish to God you would cure them or make them dumb altogether, and then they will not teaze me with their illness any longer; a sick woman is plague sufficient for a devil."—"Then, clear the room, said I, in the first place, of all these idle women-servants; only leave two or three of the steadiest slaves to serve their mistresses." He did not seem at a loss how to do this, for he took up a short whip, or switch, which lay at hand, and happy were they who got first to the door. I saw among these a genteel female figure, covered from head to foot, whom Fidele pulled in with his hand, after he had pushed the others out of the door, saying, "Come in, Aiscach;" and immediately after this he went away.

I was very sensible that I was playing a farce upon which a very great deal depended. Though in these countries the daughters of ministers and great men are given to inferiors, this is only with a view of having them provided for; they are spies upon their husbands, and keep up the consequence of their birth in their husband's house even after they are married, and this I understood was precisely the case with Adelan's daughter. Notwithstanding the bad character I had of Fidele, I knew he durst not rob me, without murdering me also; and I was sure he did not dare to do either, if it was once known that I was arrived in the dominions of Sennaar; and this his wife could inform Adelan her father of, whenever she pleased. This was then the first step towards safety.

I shall not trouble my reader with a repetition of my medical inquiries, nor the complaints of ladies, which are properly secrets with me, though at the distance of Atbara. The ipecacuanha operation gave high satisfaction. It was now happily terminated; but, whilst it was administering, I observed the figure, who till then appeared covered, had unveiled her face and head down to her shoulders; and soon after one of the slaves, her attendant, as in play, pulled off the remaining part of the veil that covered her. I was astonished at the sight of so much beauty. Her hair, which was not woolly, but long, and in great quantity, was braided and twisted round like a crown upon the top of her head, ornamented with beads, and the small white Guinea-shells, commonly known here by the name of blackamoor's teeth. She had plain rings of gold in her ears, and four rows of gold chain about her neck, to which was hung a number of sequins pierced; the rest of her dress was a blue shift, which hung loosely about her, and covered her down to her feet, though it was not very rigorously nor very closely disposed all below her neck. She was the tallest of the middle size, and not yet fifteen years of age; her whole features faultless; they might have served alone for the study of a painter all his life, if he was in search of absolute beauty. Her mother being an Arab of the tribe of Jehaina, her complexion was a dark brown. Such was the beautiful Aiscach, daughter of the eldest of the ladies that I was then attending.

Neither sickness nor medicine could prevent those who were present from discovering plainly how exceedingly I was disconcerted. Adelan's daughter said to me, You will think nothing of the women in Atbara, after so long a stay in Abyssinia; but the women in Europe, they say, are so white, that they are the handsomest of all. I never was less persuaded of that truth than at present, said I; and I see perfectly you observe it. "Aye, aye, says her mother, and so we do; if Aiscach was ill, you would take better care of her than of either of us." "Pardon me, said I, Madam; if the beautiful Aiscach was ill, I feel I should myself be so much affected as not to be able to attend her at all."

Aiscach made the most gracious inclination with her head, to shew she was perfectly sensible of the compliment. The women laughed out aloud. "Send for Yasine and your horse from Ras el Feel, cries a voice behind me laughing, but speaking perfect good Amharic; take her away, and carry her back with you to Abyssinia, I'll go with you with all my heart, and so will she, I swear to you." I turned with surprise to the person that spoke the language, which I had not heard spoken of late. "She is a poor Christian slave, says the eldest of Fidele's wives, taken by the Jehaina when the Mek Baady was defeated in his return to Sennaar; she is a foolish, but merry creature, as you see." All our diet and regimen being settled, I took my leave, and was attended to the door by the Abyssinian slave and Aiscach, who seemed to be very much her friend. When she came to the outer door, she covered herself again with her veil, from head to foot, as before, saying, in a low voice, Shall we not see you to-morrow?

On the 31st of March, Fidele again insisted upon undergoing another experiment of the ipecacuanha. I waited upon him at the same hour as before, curious to know what he would say to me about his wives. Upon my inquiring after them, he only answered, that they were well; and when coffee was brought, before I went away, told me, that he knew perfectly well, from Ras el Feel, that, when I set out from thence, I had disposed, in various boxes and chests, (which I pretended were instruments) 2000 ounces of gold, besides variety of cloth of gold, and other valuable things for presents; and as all this was now in his power, he could not think me mad enough to refuse him 500 piastres, which were only 50 of these ounces I carried with me; that, if I gave them to him civilly, he would forward me to Sennaar in two days; if not, I was in his hands, and he could easily take the whole by force, and after dispose of me as he pleased.

"Well done! out with it! said I; this is but what I knew long to be in your heart. But let me set you right; I have not three ounces of gold in all my possession. It is of no use to me in my country; take all my cases and boxes, and search them; the gold that you find there I freely give you, and without reserve. As for the cloth of gold, which I have, it is a present from the king of Abyssinia to the king of Sennaar, to be delivered with his letter. I have likewise a present to Shekh Adelan, with a letter to him; and some other trifles for Sennaar, presents to people in government: look at them; if you think they are too great, apply to your own use what part of them you please, and account with the king and Adelan for what you take from them, with your reason for so doing. The little money I may want at Sennaar, Hagi Belal, Metical Aga's servant from Mecca, will furnish me with, and, upon my letter, will take payment for the amount from my countrymen on board the East India ships at Jidda. As for force, do not deceive yourself; if all those cases were gold it never would be in your power to open one of them. Do not think that I am a girl or a child; consider the danger and difficulties I have passed, under God's protection only, and by my own force and courage: I am well armed, and have brave men about me, so try your force when you please. I dare say you will keep yourself out of danger, to give an account of your brave exploit to the king of Sennaar afterwards." I then arose, and said, "Good evening." The Shekh called after me to stay. I said, "Another time;" and immediately left him.

We had hitherto been supplied plentifully with provisions from the Shekh's house once a-day. When I came home at night, I found that after Magrib, which is after sun-set, a large store had been sent by the ladies from the Shekh's house, as acknowledgements for the attention I had paid them; but no particular message, except than that they had been exceedingly well after their medicines, and hoped I would not abandon them, but see them again. A Greek servant of mine, who knew perfectly their customs, had answered, that I certainly would wait upon them when the Shekh should desire me so to do.

The weather was extremely hot, and people, avoiding sun-shine of the day, generally sat up the whole of the night, enjoying the only hours when it was possible to breathe freely. It was about eleven o'clock at night, when the old Kaiya, whom I never saw but upon these occasions, came to me for coffee, of which he drank at least twenty dishes every visit. He appeared at first very moderate, and, as he pretended, a friend. But immediately afterwards, being seated, and assuming a new kind of air and tone of voice, he reproved me roundly for my behaviour to the Shekh that day. He extolled him highly for his generosity, courage, and his great interest at Sennaar from his father's merits, and from his having married Shekh Adelan's daughter. He said, it was the greatest presumption, in a set of infidels like us, to behave in the manner we had done to Fidele that day. "Hagi Soliman, answered I, you are an old man; if years have not given you wisdom, your journey to Mecca, and conversation with persons of all nations there, should at least have taught you an appearance of it, which, at this time, you have not. I am here, immediately under the protection of the sherriffe of Mecca, the chief of your religion, and Metical Aga his minister. I have letters from the king of Abyssinia to your king of Sennaar, requesting only, under the faith of nations, to pass through your country in my way to Cairo, to rejoin Ali Bey, whose physician I am, and in whose hands at least three thousand subjects of Sennaar, and their effects, are at this moment. I say to you now, as I did to your master in the morning, that he cannot either rob or murder me at Teawa without all your nation being responsible for it, wherever they shall go. But I am not a sheep, or a lamb, to be spoiled of my goods, or robbed of my life, without defending myself to the utmost; and I tell you, for your proper instruction, that there are probably now at Sennaar, people from the king of Abyssinia, complaining of my being detained here, and demanding justice."

He seemed to pay no attention to this threat. He did not think it possible that I could have had any communication with Ras el Feel since I came to Teawa, but declared, that, as my particular friend, he had calmed the Shekh's wrath, and obliged him to promise, that, for 2000 piastres, he would dispatch me in two days to Sennaar. Indeed, Hagi Soliman, said I, I have not 20 piastres in the world to give either him or you, nor would I give them if I had them. The Shekh may take all that I have by force, and is welcome to try the experiment. You, as his friend and soldier, may command the party, if you please; but I am resolved, were he willing, never to leave Teawa till I depart under the conduct of another man than one of your or of Shekh Fidele's chusing. Upon my saying this, he arose, shook the bosom of his cloak, and said, he was sorry for it; but he washed his hands of all the consequences.

Immediately after this we shut our doors; and our fire-arms being cleaned, loaded, and primed, we resolved to abide the issue of this bad affair in the best manner possible, and live or die together. One thing, however, diverted us: One of the large blunderbusses being accidentally laid across the door, this veteran soldier started back at the sight of it, and, although the muzzle was pointed far from him, would not enter till the piece was removed, and placed at a considerable distance from him.

As we saw things were growing to a crisis, we became every hour more impatient for the arrival of relief, either from Ras el Feel or Sennaar. On the 1st of April came a servant from the Shekh of Beyla, and delivered a message to Fidele: What it was I know not; but about noon he came to inquire after us, and pay us a visit.

All this time Fidele had kept our arrival at Teawa a secret from the Shekh of Beyla; but the people, who frequented the market of Teawa, having told their governor that they had seen strangers there, he all at once suspected the truth, and dispatched a confidential servant to Fidele, under a shew of business, to inquire whether we were those strangers. An explanation immediately followed upon his coming to my house, and especially concerning the message the Shekh of Beyla had received from the Shekh of Atbara, that we were gone by Kuara down the Dendar. He said, that his master either had sent, or intended to send, advice of this to my servant at Sennaar, who, expecting us no longer by Teawa, would neither come himself, nor seek a king's servant to conduct us from hence, but would seek measures for our safety the other way, or wait at Sennaar, expecting our arrival daily; for the way from Kuara was through a number of outlawed, or banditti Arabs, so that it was not in the power of the government of Sennaar, if ever so well inclined, to conduct us one step in safety on that road till we should be within two days journey of Sennaar. The servant therefore proposed, that he should return instantly to Beyla, (as he did that night) and that his master should send a messenger on a dromedary express to Sennaar, to inform Hagi Belal of our situation, and procure immediate relief. He promised further, that his master should send a Moullah, (or man of extraordinary holiness and learning) in whose presence Shekh Fidele would not dare to proceed to extremities, as this was a man universally esteemed, and of great weight and reputation at Sennaar, both with Abou Calec and Adelan, as well as throughout Atbara.

I must here obviate a very reasonable objection which may be made by my reader:—"Why, when you knew your safety depended upon the government of Sennaar, when you was arrived at Teawa, did you not take the first opportunity of notifying it to Fidele, that you had already sent to acquaint your correspondent at Sennaar that you had set out for that place?" I answer, That to do this had been many times in agitation among us, but was always rejected. It was thought a dangerous measure to leave a man like Fidele, the only person who had seen us, to give us any character and description he pleased, who, from the connection and correspondence he must have in that capital, and the confidence necessarily placed in him, as governor of a frontier province, might so far prejudice the minds of that credulous and brutal people, by misrepresenting us, as either to get orders to cut us off upon our journey, or procure us a fate similar to that of M. du Roule, the French envoy, after our arriving in that capital. It was by the goodness of Providence alone that we were restrained from adopting that measure, often considered as the most adviseable, but which, we since have certainly known, would have ended in our destruction.

Nothing material passed on the 3d of April, their festival day; but on the 4th no meat was sent us. However, on Sunday the 5th it was brought rather in larger proportion than before, and we spent the whole day in conjecturing what was become of our servants, and of the Moullah whom the Shekh of Beyla's servant had promised us. On the 6th the Kaiya came, and, without ceremony, told me that the Shekh had heard I wanted to escape to Beyla, in which journey I should certainly perish, and therefore he had taken my horse from me, which was in a stable at some distance. From this time we got our victuals very sparingly. On the 7th he sent me word, that I should bring him a vomit the day after, which I promised to comply with. It was very plainly seen Beyla's secret was not kept, and to this we attributed the delay of the Moullah; but nothing could comfort us for the want of an answer from Ras el Feel.

On the 8th, in the evening, a little before six o'clock, when I was making ready to go to the Shekh, a message came, that he was busy, and could not see me; with which, for a time, I was very well pleased. About ten, arrived a naked, very ill-looking fellow, more like an executioner than any other sort of man, with a large broad-sword in his hand, and seemingly very drunk. He said he was one of the Shekhs of Jehaina, and in a little time became extremely insolent. He first demanded coffee, which was given him, then a new coat, then some civet, and, last of all, drawing his sword, that we should instantly provide him with a new scabbard, his own being but a piece of common leather, which he threw with a kind of indignation down upon the floor. Till that time I had been writing these very memoirs, at least the journal of the day. I was not any way afraid of one drunkard, but laid down my pen, wondering where this insolence was to end. Before I had time to speak a word, I heard my old Turk, the sherriffe, Hagi Ismael, say, "You are of the Jehaina, are you? then I am of the Daveina;" and with that he caught the stranger by the throat, taking his sword from him, which he threw out of the house, after casting the owner violently upon the floor. The fellow crept out upon all-four, and, as soon as he had picked up his sword, attempted again to enter the house, which Soliman perceiving, snatched his own short, crooked sword, from a pin where it hung, and ran readily to meet him, and would very speedily have made an end of him, had I not cried out, "For God's sake, Soliman, don't hurt him; remember where you are." Indeed, there was little reason for the caution; for when the Arab observed a drawn sword in the Turk's hand, he presently ran away towards the town, crying, Ullah! Ullah! Ullah! which was, God! God! God! an exclamation of terror, and we saw no more of him; whilst, instead of a new scabbard, he left his old one in the house. Seeing at once the cowardice and malice of our enemies, we were now apprehensive of fire, things were come to such an extremity; and as our house was composed of nothing but dry canes, it seemed the only obvious way of destroying us.

On the 9th, in the morning I sent Soliman with the scabbard to Fidele, and a grievous complaint against the supposed Shekh of the Jehaina for his insolence the night before. Shekh Fidele pretended to be utterly ignorant of the whole, made light of what had passed, and said the fellow was a fool. But a violent altercation took place between him and my servant black Soliman, who then told him all his mind, threatening him with Yasine's immediate vengeance, and assuring him he was, before this, fully informed of his behaviour. They, however, both cooled before parting. Fidele only recommended to Soliman to persuade me to give him 2000 piastres, without which he swore I never should go alive out of Atbara. Soliman, on the other hand, declared, that I was a man that set no value upon money, and therefore carried it not about with me, otherwise I should not refuse what he desired, but warned him to think well before he uttered such expressions as he now had done.

In the course of conversation, as Soliman told me, the Shekh gave him several hints, that, if he would agree with him, and help to rob and murder me, he should share the booty with him, and it never would be known. But Soliman pretended not to understand this, always assuring him that I was not the man he took me for; and that, except the king's present, all I had was brass, iron, and glass bottles, of no value to any but myself, who only knew how to use them. They then finished their discourse; and he desired Soliman to tell me, that he expected me at the usual hour of 6 o'clock to-morrow evening, which was Friday the 10th.

This seemed to me to be an extraordinary appointment, because Friday is their festival, when they eat and drink heartily, nor did I ever remember any of them take medicine upon that day. But with Fidele all was festival, not even their annual solemn fast of Ramadan did he ever keep, but was universally known to be an unbeliever, even in what was called his own religion. I had still this further objection to wait upon him at night, that he had gone so far as to solicit Soliman to assist him in murdering me. But I considered at last, that we could not escape from his hands; and that the only way to avoid the danger was to brave it. Providence, indeed, seemed all along to have reserved our deliverance for our own exertions, under its direction, as all the ways we had taken to get relief from others had hitherto, in appearance at least, miscarried. However, it was resolved to go armed, for fear of the worst; but to conceal our weapons, so as to give no umbrage. I had a small Brescian blunderbuss, about 22 inches in the barrel, which had a joint in the stock, so that it folded double. It hung by an iron hook to a thin belt under my left arm, close to my side, quite unperceived, like a cutlass. I likewise took a pair of pistols in my girdle, and my knife as usual. All these were perfectly covered by my burnoose; so that, with a little attention, when I sat down, it was impossible to discover my having any weapons about me; Hagi Ismael the Turk, Soliman my servant, and two other Moorish servants, took also their fire arms, small and great, and swords, along with them. We all went to the house of the Shekh a little before seven o'clock in the evening. I entered the back door into the square where the women's house was; but declined going so far as their apartment without leave, turning to the left hand into the side of the square where he usually staid. I was surprised to meet but one servant, a black boy, in the whole house, and he carried me to the Shekh, my servants remaining at the outer-door.

Fidele was sitting in a spacious room, in an alcove, on a large broad sofa like a bed, with India curtains gathered on each side into festoons. Upon seeing the boy, in a very surly tone he called for a pipe; and, in much the same voice, said to me, "What! alone?" I said, "Yes, what were his commands with me?" I saw he either was, or affected to be, drunk, and which ever was the case, I knew it would lead to mischief; I therefore repented heartily of having come into the house alone.

After he had taken two whiffs of his pipe, and the slave had left the room, "Are you prepared? says he; have you brought the needful along with you?" I wished to have occasion to join Soliman, and answered, "My servants are at the outer door, and have the vomit you wanted." "D—n you and the vomit too, says he with great passion, I want money, and not poison. Where are your piastres?" "I am a bad person, said I, Fidele, to furnish you with either. I have neither money nor poison; but I advise you to drink a little warm water to clear your stomach, cool your head, and then lie down and compose yourself, I will see you to-morrow morning." I was going out. "Hakim, says he, infidel, or devil, or whatever is your name, hearken to what I say. Consider where you are; this is the room where Mek Baady, a king, was slain by the hand of my father: look at his blood, where it has stained the floor, which never could be washed out. I am informed you have 20,000 piasters in gold with you; either give me 2000 before you go out of this chamber, or you shall die; I will put you to death with my own hand." Upon this he took up his sword, that was lying at the head of his sofa, and, drawing it with a bravado, threw the scabbard into the middle of the room; and, tucking the sleeve of his shirt above his elbow like a butcher, said, "I wait your answer."

I now stept one pace backwards, and dropt the burnoose behind me, holding the little blunderbuss in my hand, without taking it off the belt. I said, in a firm tone of voice, "This is my answer: I am not a man, as I have told you before, to die like a beast by the hand of a drunkard; on your life, I charge you, stir not from your sofa." I had no need to give this injunction; he heard the noise which the closing the joint in the stock of the blunderbuss made, and thought I had cocked it, and was instantly to fire. He let his sword drop, and threw himself on his back on the sofa, crying, "For God's sake, Hakim, I was but jesting." At the same time, with all his might, he cried, Brahim! Mahomet! El coom! El coom[27]!"—"If one of your servants approach me, said I, that instant I blow you to pieces; not one of them shall enter this room till they bring in my servants with them; I have a number of them armed at your gate, who will break in the instant they hear me fire."

The women had come to the door. My servants were admitted, each having a blunderbuss in his hand and pistols at his girdle. We were now greatly an overmatch for the Shekh, who sat far back on the sofa, and pretended that all he had done was in joke, in which his servants joined, and a very confused, desultory discourse followed, till the Turk, sherriffe Ismael, happened to observe the Shekh's scabbard of his sword thrown upon the floor, on which he fell into a violent fit of laughter. He spoke very bad Arabic, mixed with Turkish, as I have often observed. He endeavoured to make the Shekh understand, that drunkards and cowards had more need of the scabbard than the sword; that he, Fidele, and the other drunkard that came to our house two or three nights before, who said he was Shekh of the Jehaina, were just possessed of the same portion of courage and insolence.

As no good could be expected from this expostulation, I stopt it, and took my leave, desiring the Shekh to go to bed and compose himself, and not try any more of these experiments, which would certainly end in his shame, if not in his punishment. He made no answer, only wished us good night.

CHAP. VI.

Transactions at Teawa continued—A Moullah and Sherriffe arrive from Beyla—News from Ras el Feel and Sennaar—An Eclipse of the Moon—Leave Teawa.

We went to the door, through the several apartments, very much upon our guard, for there was no person to light us out, and we were afraid of some treachery or ambush in the anti-chamber and dark passages; but we met nobody; and were, even at the outer gate, obliged to open the door ourselves. Without the gate there were about twenty people gathered together, but none of them with arms; and, by the half words and expressions they made use of, we could judge they were not the Shekh's friends. They followed us for a little, but dispersed before we arrived at our house. Soliman, my servant, told me by the way, that the Moullah was arrived, and that the Shekh of Beyla's servant, who had come with him, had been at my house ever since I went to Fidele's. Accordingly we found him still there, and explained to him what had happened, and the great distress we had been in from the Moullah's not arriving sooner, as also from receiving no message either from Sennaar or Ras el Feel. He told us, the reason of our servants not joining us was the false information his master the Shekh of Beyla had received from Fidele; that we were coming by the Dender, and not by Teawa, as already mentioned. He now advised us to come up, and shew ourselves in the morning to the Moullah, who would be sitting with Shekh Fidele, administering justice; but to take no particular notice of him, and only observe to what his discourse pointed, and he would bring us word if any thing more was necessary.

I recommended to this servant of the Shekh of Beyla that he should tell the Moullah that he was not to expect I was to open my baggage here, but that I was a man who understood perfectly the value of a favour done me, and should not be in his debt longer than arriving at Beyla, which I wished to reach as soon as possible; nothing can be quicker than these people are on the smallest hint given; we separated, fully satisfied that we were now a sufficient match for the Shekh, even at his own weapons.

Ever since the adventure of the Shekh of the Jehaina, one of us had kept guard, the door being open every night for fear of fire, and it was my turn that night, a post that I never declined, for the sake of good example; but my spirits were so exhausted this day, that I gave the old Turk plenty of coffee and tobacco, to undertake, as he did with great willingness, the office of that night for me. I went to bed, and fell presently into a profound sleep, from which I was awakened, a little before midnight, by a message from the ladies, my patients, in the Shekh's house, sent by the black slave that had spoken in the Abyssinian language to me while I was attending her mistress. They advised me to be upon my guard, for the Shekh was absolutely resolved to take a severe revenge upon us all: That after we had left him that evening, an express arrived from the lower part of Atbara, giving him an account that Shekh Ibrahim, a great man at Sennaar, and favourite of Adelan the prime minister, while he was employed in gathering the taxes from the Arabs, had fought with the tribe called Shukorea, somewhere east of Sennaar; that he had been completely beaten, and many of his people killed; as also, that Shekh Ibrahim and his two sons were wounded; that Shekh Fidele had immediately sent back word, that he had then with him a surgeon and physician, meaning me, who could, upon occasion, even bring a dead man to life, but that I would never consent to come to him unless I was forced; therefore, if he would dispatch a sufficient number of armed men, to help him to surprise me in the night, he would conduct the execution of that scheme, and would send me to him in irons. He said I was an infidel, a white man from Abyssinia, and had several stout people with me expert in fire-arms, (of which I had a number,) who would be of great use to him in subduing the Arabs. They assured me, however, of their friendship, and begged me to consider what I had to do in time, for many wild men would be poured in upon me, who would not fail to kill me if I resisted.

I returned my most humble thanks to my kind informants; with a small gratification of civet to the two elder ladies, and a separate portion to the beautiful Aiscach, assuring them I should not fail to profit by any advice they should give me. After this I again fell into a sound sleep, which continued till morning; and, though my affairs had not the most prosperous appearance, I felt a calmness of mind to which I had been utterly a stranger ever since I had left Ras el Feel. My servants awakened me in the morning of the 11th; I drank coffee, and dressed, and took along with me Soliman and Ismael, without arms in our hands, but having knives and pistols in our girdles, to shew that we had lived in fear.

The Moullah's name was Welled Mestah, or the son of interpretation, or explanation. He was reputed to have attained such a degree of holiness as to work miracles, and, more than once in his life, to have been honoured with the conversation of angels and spirits, and, at times, to have called the devil into his presence, and reproved him. He was a man below the middle size, of a very dark complexion, and thin beard, seemingly past sixty, hollow-eyed, and very much emaciated. If holy, we could not say he was the beauty of holiness. I understood, afterwards, he was much addicted to the use of opium, to the effects of which he probably was indebted for his conversation with spirits. He had brought with him another saint, much younger and robuster than himself, who had been several times at Mecca, and had seen Metical Aga, but did not know him. He had seen likewise the English ships at Jidda, and knew the name of the nation, but nothing more. He was a sherriffe, (that is, a descendant of Mahomet) a degree of nobility much respected among the Arabs, distinguished by wearing a green turban. The Daveina, when they burnt all the country between Teawa and Beyla, saved this man's house, effects, and crop, in veneration of his sanctity. These two were sitting on each side of Shekh Fidele, and before him stood two black slaves holding each a monstrous long broad-sword. I approached these powers, ecclesiastical and civil, with great composure, as if nothing had happened; but Ismael, the Turk, had almost spoiled my gravity, for, seeing the swords in the men's hands before Fidele, he said, in his barbarous language, loud enough to be heard, "O, ho, they have got their scabbards upon their swords to-day."

Fidele seemed to have a very serene countenance, till we approached nearer, when, seeing the pistols in our girdles, he appeared rather discomposed, and probably he thought the blunderbuss was not far off; I made him, however, a bow, and shook him by the hand; I likewise made another bow to their two holinesses. As people of that sanctity seldom chuse to have, even their cloaths, touched by unbelievers in public, I made no further advance towards them. The sherriffe no sooner saw Ismael's turban, than he got up, took him in his arms, and, as he was an older man than himself, though all in rags, kissed his forehead with great respect. This was returned by Hagi Ismael, first kissing his forehead and then his hand; after which the Moullah did the same, as I thought with rather less ceremony. Ismael gave a very slight salutation of Salama to the Shekh, and we all sat down.

"Brother, says the sherriffe to Ismael, you seem a stranger in this country." "I am a Turk, answered Ismael, born in Anatolia, a janizary of Ali Bey at Cairo." "He came, says Shekh Fidele, to Habesh, with their Kafr, the Abuna or great priest, and is returning to Cairo with that white man, who is physician to Ali Bey." "Kafr there, or Kafr here, continued Ismael (who did but half underhand what was said) the greatest of all Kafrs (that is Infidel) is, I believe, in Teawa. I do not think there is one Mussulman in this cursed place." "Is this the Frank, says the Moullah, whose servant brought letters to the Shekh of Beyla some weeks ago, and was forwarded to Sennaar?" "No, says Fidele, he does not know the Shekh of Beyla." "I am sure, says the Moullah, that, such a day, when I was at Sennaar, there was a talk of a man of this kind, whose servant was at Aira with Shekh Adelan, and had orders to come hither with a servant of his, and one from the king; and I am sure, upon reflection, continued the Moullah, this must be the man." "Shekh, says he, turning to me, (who sat silent, overjoyed at the train I saw the affair taking) did you come from Habesh? have you letters for Sennaar?" "I came from Habesh, replied I, with letters to the king of Sennaar; likewise letters to him from the sherriffe of Mecca, and from Ali Bey of Cairo, (you are welcome to see them all,) yet, contrary to faith, observed even in Pagan nations, I am here detained by Shekh Fidele, who last night attempted to murder me in his own house, because I would not pay him 2000 piastres." Shekh Fidele's face turned pale; he could scarcely utter, "That is not true." "As that book is the word of God, says Ismael, (pointing to the Koran, lying in the sherriffe's lap) it is every word true. Look upon my turban, (says he to Fidele) do you call me a liar?" Fid. "I did not call you a liar, only that Christian lied." Ism. "I say, that every word he spoke is truth, or I am no true believer. Was not your sword drawn, and your scabbard lying on the floor, when I entered the room? Was there any one present but him and you? Whom did you draw your sword upon?" "Pure merriment for a little amusement, says Fidele, turning to the Moullah, I was diverting myself with the Christian, who came to give me medicines." "The diversion, I fancy, was over on your part, says Soliman, my servant, when you threw away your sword, after drawing it, and called upon all your servants for assistance. Were not your women at the door upon my entering it?" Fid. "Would you have had me shot in my own house by an infidel? Did he not present a pistol at me?" Ism. "Lord! Lord! he was only diverting himself, too? Did not you see that? You should have gone on with your merriment:—What stopt you?" "Look you, Shekh, said I, your inward thoughts are seen by me. Did not you send two messengers to Shekh Ibrahim in Atbara that very night, within these twelve hours, desiring him to take me by force, while asleep, to heal his wounded men? Was this amusement, too? Beware in time, for every thought in your heart is known to me as soon as it is formed."

The sherriffe muttered to himself, "Hakim y'Eref—he is a learned man; he knows these things." "Shekh Ibrahim is returned to Sennaar, says the Moullah, that is the reason why he should make haste, and all this that has passed is very improper. If a man diverts himself with drawn swords, is he not likely, when angry, to kill? this ought not to be; send the man away; you can get camels from the Jehaina. Men like him have no money. There are many of them, at all times and places, wandering over the face of the earth, and will be so till Hagiuge Magiuge[28] come; they are Dervishes, study the herbs and the water, and cure diseases." "God bless the truth! said I; there it is. I am a Dervish, a poor, but an innocent man." The Moullah seemed to take credit to himself for all this learning. "I saw, says the Sherriffe, a number of his countrymen in large ships from the Indies, when I was at Jidda; they are called Inglese." "They are brave men, says Ismael, and came first from Turkey. Their country is called Caz Dangli to this day. I have seen it, and am sure no man would hurt Yagoube that knew him." Fid. "So, Yagoube is his name; the first time I knew it." Moul. "Yagoube el Hakim; now I remember it perfectly. Ali Tchelebi, Mahomet Abou Calec's factor, is ill of an enchantment from an enemy; his bowels are out of order; he it was that asked me if such a man was yet come to Beyla. They surely expect that you should forward him to Sennaar. True, Yagoube el Hakim, that was his name." Fid. "He shall go next week, since it is so, if I can but get camels." Upon this we rose, seeing other people coming in. When I took hold of the Shekh's hand at going away, he asked me, in apparent good humour, "Well, Yagoube, are we friends now?" I answered him, in the most complacent tone of voice possible, "Sir, I never was your enemy; so far otherwise, that my only anxiety now is, lest your behaviour may bring upon you powerful adversaries, before whom you are not able to stand. The ill-usage I have met with will not be easily passed over either in Abyssinia or at Sennaar. I am neither servant nor merchant; and it has been your ill-luck to try your wicked experiments upon a man like me, who never in his life carried much money about him, because he never valued it." Moul. "You must forget all, and I will be your friend with the Shekh, since you come from the Sherriffe of Mecca." "And I, too, says the other, for the kindness you have shewed our brother Ismael there, in carrying him home from among the Kafrs of Habesh; and if Fidele cannot procure camels, we will try and help him; so go in peace, and get ready."

We had scarce got rid of this real danger, when the apprehension of an imaginary one struck us violently. The water at Teawa is stagnant in pools, and exceedingly bad. Either that, or the bouza, a kind of new beer which they sent us with our meat, had given all of us, at the same time, a violent diarrhœa, and I was tormented with a perpetual thirst ever since we had been overtaken by the simoom; and the bouza being acid, was not only more agreeable, but, I thought, relieved me more than bad water; in this, therefore, I certainly had exceeded. When we found we were all taken ill at the same time, it came into our wise heads that Shekh Fidele had given us poison in our dinner, and we were very much perplexed what we should do the next day. None of us, therefore, tasted the meat sent us; when at night, our friend, the black slave came, and to her we frankly told our doubts. The poor creature fell into such violent fits of laughing, which followed so close the one upon the other, and lasted so long, that I feared she would have expired upon the spot. "It is the water, says she; it does so to all strangers;" and then she fell into another great fit of laughter. "Child, answered I, you know the Shekh is not our friend, and there is no easier way to get rid of us than by poison, as we eat everything that comes from you without fear."—"And so you may, says she; the Shekh could do no such thing without our knowledge, and we would rather all be burnt alive than be guilty of so vile an action. Besides, says she, this is not like Habesh, where both meat and drink, brought to you, are tasted by the bearer before you use them. There is no such thing as poison in Atbara; the lance and the knife in the field, that is the manner in which they kill one another here."

We then shewed her our dinner uneaten, and she again fell into a violent fit of laughter, and took the meat away that she might warm it, and we heard her laughing all the way as she went by herself. She was not long in returning with provisions in plenty, and told us, that her mistresses never were so diverted in their lives, and that she left them still laughing. The black slave then called me to the door, and gave me an India green handkerchief, which she said Aiscach had pulled from her head, and sent with her to me, with orders to inquire, "Do the women of your country do such things, Yagoube, which, for all the fathers and gold in the world, Aiscach would not be guilty of? My father is indeed a Funge[29], but my mother is a Jehaina[30]."

Neither the Shekh nor Moullah expected me out on Sunday, which I told them was my festival. I employed that day in mounting and rectifying my quadrant, and that same evening had a clear and distinct observation of Procyon, and several other of the fixed stars, the largest and fittest for my purpose. The next day also, having a good observation of the sun in the meridian, all equations adopted from a mean, I found the latitude of Teawa, the capital of Atbara, to be 14° 2´ 4´´ north. With regard to longitude, Hor-Cacamoot is about six miles east of Teawa, which is nearly under the same meridian with Ras el Feel, so there was no occasion for any observation on that subject.

On the 13th of April arrived a naked Arab of the Jehaina, with intelligence that a caravan belonging to Atbara, which had come to Nara in Abyssinia for salt, had been all seized by Ammonios, Ayto Confu's governor of Nara, their asses and salt taken from them, and the men put in close prison. The Shekh of the Jehaina, an old man of very comely presence, with ten or twelve of his clan on camels, came over to Shekh Fidele that morning before I went out, and they found the Moullah sitting with him. The news struck all of them with a panic, but none more so than our Shekh of Atbara. The Shekh of the Jehaina said he had not heard the cause of it, but so violent a procedure had not happened even when Yasous II. invaded Sennaar, for the people of the two frontiers had all that time been friends. He begged, however, Shekh Fidele immediately to interfere, and send some person to Ras el Feel, to his friend Yasine. When they had settled thus far, a message came for me to attend the Shekh. I immediately went, leaving my servants to put up my quadrant. I had, indeed, an inclination to observe the approaching eclipse; but as I knew perfectly the situation of Teawa with regard to Ras el Feel, I thought I might spare myself this unnecessary trouble, and only make use of the eclipse to frighten Fidele as part of the punishment he so amply deserved.

There was a prodigious number of people assembled at the Shekh's door. The Jehaina had all come upon camels; two or three of the principal ones were sitting with him and the Moullah. One of these, whom I did not know, but who had seen me at Ras el Feel, upon my approaching the Shekh, got up, took me by the hand, and made a very respectful salutation. As he was a friend of Yasine, and Shekh el Nile, I never doubted from that minute that this was a contrivance of theirs in my favour.

The Moullah had alledged, that probably I had dispatched some intelligence to Yasine of my being detained, which had caused him to make this reprisal; but Shekh Fidele assured them that he knew it to be impossible, and that this seizure of the caravan must have been occasioned by some ill-usage to the people belonging to Tchelga and Nara, the frontier villages to the westward. In this the Shekh of Jehaina agreed; for he had heard Ammonios mentioned, but nothing of Yasine. The Moullah was unconvinced, but asked me, "Hakim, have you never sent a complaint to Yasine since you came to Teawa? tell me truly; no harm shall befal you from it." "If I were not to tell you truly said I, Shekh, I would not answer you at all. I am under no obligation to do it, nor am I under any fear. You are but at the beginning of this affair, and many will suffer before I do." "Truly, says the Moullah, but have you sent intelligence to Ras el Feel?" "No, no, says Fidele, he had it not in his power; nor is there a man in Teawa, that durst go on such an errand, it is some disturbance about Tchelga."

I easily perceived that the Moullah wanted me to confess, which I likewise saw the use of myself. "I sent, said I, messengers from Teawa two several times. The first, when Fidele pretended Yasine was to murder me in the desert; the second, when he said he had no camels; and I also mentioned the piastres, and his intention to murder me." "Ammonios, says black Soliman, and Yasine, Nara, and Ras el Feel, all belong to Ayto Confu, and were given to Yagoube by him, for his maintenance all the time he was at Gondar. Ayto Confu and he are brothers; they were together in the camp, slept together in the same house; they are brothers and more than brothers, for they swore to each other, when we passed Tcherkin, upon the heart of the elephant[31]. I swear by our holy faith, that Confu will be down here himself; what does he care for a journey of two days?"

All now with one voice condemned Fidele, who had not a word to say, only, that if he knew the person who carried that message, he would cut off his head, if he was his brother. "But it is impossible, says the Shekh; should I not have known of the messenger being absent? impossible!" Then turning to his servant, said, "Is Kutcho el Hybari here? I have not seen him lately."—"Sir, says he, you know you sent Kutcho to Mendera long before the Hakim arrived."—"True, says Fidele, then it is impossible." "Your messengers and mine, said I, Shekh, are not of the same sort, nor shall I ask your leave when I am to send to Ras el Feel or Sennaar, nor shall you ever cut off the head from any one of them. But why are you alarmed at these asses being taken? Should you not be afraid of something similar happening at Mecca? Am not I under the protection of the sherriffe? When Metical Aga hears this, will he not resent it? Will Yousef Kabil, the Christian, the sherriffe's vizir at Jidda, through whose hands your people pass, will he be gentler to them upon this account?"—"A curse upon him! says the sherriffe; he gentle! he is a shark." "Meloun Ibn Sheitan, says the Turk Ismael, i. e. accursed wretch, child of the devil!"—"Well then, said I, the difficulty is only to know if he is informed of this at Mecca. Friday the 17th is your festival. If the afternoon of that shall pass like those of common days, I am a worthless man and an impostor; but if on that day, before el'asser[32], a sign be seen in the heavens that shall be thought by all of you unusual and extraordinary, then am I an innocent man, and Fidele's designs against me are known to the world, at Sennaar and at Mecca, at Cairo and at Gondar, and everywhere else, and will not be pleasing either to God or man." Yarif el Hakim[33], says the sherriffe; Hakim[34]! says the Shekh of the Jehaina; Ullah Akbar[35]! says the Moullah, lifting his eyes up to heaven, and counting his beads very devoutly.