Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/540

 516 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

quieting draughts in the world, compofed my mind, and brought me to myfelf. I went to bed, and falling into a. found fleep, was waked near mid-night by two of Fafil's fer- vants, who brought each of them a lean live fheep ; they faid they had brought the fheep, and were come to afk how I was, and to flay all night to watch the houfe for fear of the thieves in the army ; they likewife brought their mas- ter's order for me to come early in the morning to him, as» he wanted to difpatch me on my journey before he gave the Galla liberty to return. This difpelled every doubt, but it raifed my fpirits fo much, that, out of impatience for, morning, I flept very little more that night.

It was a time of year when it is not broad day till after fix o'clock ; I went to the camp and faw Guebra thud, who confirmed what Welleta Michael had faid, and that Fafil had given orders for bringing feveral of his own horfes for me, to choofe which he was to prefent me with ; in efTecl: there were about twelve horfes all faddled and bridled, which were led by a mafler-groom. I was very indifferent about thefe horfes, having a good one of, my own, and there was none of thefe that would in this country have brought 7I. at a market; the fervant, who feemed very officious, pitched upon a bright-bay poney, the fattefl of the whole, but not flrong enough in appearance to carry me ; he afiured me, however, the horfe had excellent paces, was a great favour- ite of Fafil's, but too dull and quiet for him, and defired me to mount him, though he had no other furniture but the wooden part of a faddle covered with thin, brown leather, and, inftead of flirrups, iron rings. All the Abyffinians, in- deed, ride bare-footed and legged, and put only their great toe. into the iron ring, holding it betwixt their great and'

fecond.-