Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/597

 THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. $73

who were hid in an unfufpected bye-place, one of which being detected was killed without mercy.

It was now, I thought, the proper time to give Woldo a leffon as to the manner in which I was refolved to behave among the Agows, who I knew had been reduced to abfo- lute poverty by Fafil after the battle of Banja. I told him, that fince the king had given me the fmall territory of Geefh, I was refolved to take up my abode there for fome time; and alfo, to make my coming more agreeable, it was my in- tention for that year to difcharge them of any taxes which they paid the king, or their fuperior Fafil, in whofe places I then ftood. " Stay, fays Woldo, don't be in fuch a huny, fee firft how they behave."—" No, faid I, I will begin by teaching them how to behave; I will not wait till their prefent mifery prompts them to receive ill (as they very naturally will do) a man who comes, as they may think, wantonly for cunofity only, to take from them and their ftarved families the little Fafil 'has left them : the queftion I afk you then is briefly this, Do you conceive yourfelf obliged to obey me, as to what I mall judge neceffary to direct you to do, during my journey to Geefh and back again ?" He anfwered, By all means, or he could never elfe return to his mailer Fafil. " This,' then, faid I, is the line of conduct I mean to purfue ' while I am among the Agows ; you fhall have money to buy every thing; you fhall have money, or prefents, or both, to pay thofe that ferve us, or that fhew us any kindnefs, and when we fhall join your mailer Fafil (as I hope we mall do together) you lhall tell him that I have received his maje- fty's rent of the Agows of Geefh, and I will enter a receipt for it in the king's deftar, or revenue-book at Gondar, if we fee him there, as I expect we fhall, upon my return. I,

moreover,