Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/436

 4 i2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

had been for charity, to be allowed to do my bufinefs, you would have been glad for my making no worfe figure to- night than I do with this carpet upon my head."

" My dear Strates, faid I, it is the fortune of war, and many princes and great men, who, at this moment I am fpeaking to you, live in the enjoyment of every thing they can delire, before a month expires, perhaps, will be ftretch- ed on the cold ground, a prey to the birds and wild beafts of the field, without fo much as a carpet to cover them fuch as you have. You as yet are only frightened ; though, it is true, a man may be as well killed as frightened to death." " Sir, fays he, in a violent rage, that I deny, it is not the fame ? a man that is killed feels no more, but he that is frightened to death, as I have been to-day, fuffers ten thou- fand times more than if he had been killed outright." — " "Well, faid I, Strates, I will not difpute with you ; I believe they fuffer much the fame after they are dead ; but you, I thank God, have only loft your cloaths, and you are now moil comfortably, though not ornamentally, wrapped up in my carpet ; as foon as we get to Dara, you mail be dreff- ed from head to foot, by Negade Ras Mahomet, at the ex>- pence of the king, in better cloaths than you ever wore in your life, at leaft fince I knew you ; only give me your gun till your pafiion is allayed ; you know it is a valuable one which I never quit."

He then gave me the gun fullenly enough ; and I con- tinued, " I will this very night prelent you with one of the handfomeft Turkifh fames that Mahomet has to fell. I faw him in the king's houie, with many new ones that he had procured, a little before 1 went to Emfras." I cannot pro- tend.