Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/569

 THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 545

cere attachment I had myfclf to her, as one of the mod lovely and amiahle women in the world ; me was the mo- ther of my moft intimate friend Ayto Confu, and the wife of Ras Michael, over whom me had every day more and more influence, and I had long fufpe&ed that the young king, my conftant benefactor, had contracted a decided tender- nefs for her. To have returned, would have been nothing had the danger or trouble been much greater ; but it was obvioufly impofiible another opportunity mould offer : the country was now on the point of being plunged into a de- gree of diforder greater than that which had occafioned the retreat of the king to Tigre. I therefore refolved to run the rifk of continuing for a time under the imputation of the fouled and bafeft of all fins, that of ingratitude to my benefactors ; and I am confident, had it been the will of heaven that I had died in that journey, the confideration of my lying with apparent reafon under that imputation would have been one of the moft bitter reflections of my laft moments. Having, therefore, taken my refolution, I acquainted Guebra Mariam that an immediate return was abfolutely impofiible ; but that I mould endeavour, with the utmoft of my power, to make a fpeedy one ; in the mean time, 1 fent word to the Greek prieft (who was a fort of phyfician) how he was to proceed in the interim during my abfence.

We had now left Maitfha by crofling the river Kelti. I mall only add, to what I have already faid, that it is a very fruitful country, but fo flat that the water with difficulty runs off after the tropical rains, and this occafions its being for feveral months unhealthy. Several tribes of Galla, from the.fouth of the Nile, were fettled here by Yafous the Great,

Vol. III. 3 z and