Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/507

 THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

fered no other civility or falutation, but, fhaking me each by the hand, they played on,without lifting their heads, or look- ing me in the face.

Gusho began by afking me, " Would it not have been better if you had gone with me to Amhara, as I defired you, when I faw you laft at Gondar ? you would have faved your- felf a great deal of fatigue and trouble in that dangerous march through Maitfha." To this I anfwered, " It is hard for me, who am a flranger, to know what is belt to be done in fuch a country as this. I was, as you may have heard, the king's gueft, and was favoured by him ; it was my duty therefore to attend him, efpecially when he defired it; and fuch I am informed has always been the cuftom of the coun- try; befides, Ras Michael laid his commands upon me." On this, fays Powuffen, fhaking his head, " You fee he cannot forget Michael and the Tigre yet." — " Very naturally, added Gufho, they were good to him ; he was a great man in their time ; they gave him confiderable fums of money, and he fpent it all among his own foldiers, the king's guard, which they had given him to command after the Armenian. Ya- goube taught him and his brother George to ride on horfe- back like the Franks, and play tricks with guns and pikes on horfeback ; folly, all of it to be fure, but I never heard he meddled in affairs, or that he fpoke ill of any one, much lefs did any harm, like thofe rafcals the Greeks when they were in favour in Joas's time, for it was not their fault they did not direct every thing." — " I hope I never did, faid I; fure I am I never fo intended, nor had I any provocation. I have received much good ufage from every one ; and the honour, if I do not forget, of a great many profeffions and affurances of friendihip from you, faid I, turning to Gufho. He hefi-

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