Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/243

 Ther father, who, guessing by my countenance I had something material to communicate, sent her on her visit, and so we were left alone.

As he was a man with whom I had always lived in the most confidential friendship, and knew the same subsisted between him and the king, I made no scruple to tell him, word for word, what I had heard from Gusho, and Engedan's servant. He said, without any seeming surprise, Why, we are all worn out, but state all this to the king. Soon after, came in the slave who had the charge of the king's bed-chamber, and told the secretary that the king found himself well, only wanted to know what he should drink. I ordered him some water, with some ripe tamarinds, a liquor he usually took in time of Lent. See him and advise him yourself, says the secretary. I accordingly went in, and told the king the whole story. He seemed to be in great agitation, repeating frequently, "O God! O God! O Guebra Menfus Kedus !" — "Who is this Guebra Menfus Kedus?" said I afterwards to Tecla Mariam, who in his heart believed in him no more than I did. "Why, answered he gravely, he is a great saint, who never ate or drank from his mother's womb till his death, said mass at Jerusalem every day, and came home at night in form of a stork." — "But a bad regimen his, said I, for such violent exercise." — "That is not all, says Tecla Mariam, he fought with the devil once in Tigré, and threw him over the rock Amba Salam, and killed him." — "I wish you joy, said I, this his good news indeed." All this conversation had passed in half a