Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 1.djvu/432

320 maintained to me were sheep. Each man had three light javelins in his hand, and they began to wrangle exceedingly about the animals, whether they were sheep or goats, though they did not seem to understand one word of our language, but the words sheep and goat in Arabic. In five minutes after, their number increased to eleven, and I thought it was then full time for me to go on board, for every one of them seemed, by his discourse and gestures, to be violently agitated, but what they said I could not comprehend. I drew to the shore, and then put myself on board as soon as possible. They seemed to keep at a certain distance, crying out Belled, belled! and pointing to the land, invited me to come ashore; the old hypocrite alone seemed to have no fear, but followed me close to the boat. I then resolved to have a free discourse with him. "There is no need, said I to the old man, to send for thirteen men to bring two goats. We bought the water from people that had no lances, and we can do without the sheep, though we could not want the water, therefore, every man that has a lance in his hand let him go away from me, or I will fire upon him."

seemed to take no sort of notice of this, and came rather nearer. "You old-grey headed traitor, said I, do you think I don't know what you want, by inviting me on shore; let all those about you with arms go home about their business, or I will in a minute blow them all off the face of the earth. He then jumped up, with rather more agility than his age seemed to promise, and went to where the others were sitting in a cluster, and after a little conversation the whole of them retired. Rh