Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/403

 THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.

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and live o- die together. . One thing, however, diverted us :, One of cac >.:ge bluade'bulTes being accidentally laid acrofs the door, tiiis veteran foidier llarted back at the fight of it, and, although the muzzle was pointed far from him, would, not enter till the piece was removed, and placed at a confi- derable diftance from him.

As we faw thing^s were growing to a crilis, we became every hour more impatient for the arrival of relief, either from Ras el Feel or Sennaar. On the ift of April came a fer- vant from the Shekh of Beyla, and delivered a meflage to Fidele : What it was I know not ; but about noon he came to inquire after us, and pay us a vifit.

All this time Fidele had kept our arrival at Teawa a fe^ cret from the Shekh of Beyla; but the people, who frequent- ed the market of Teawa, having told their governor that they had feen ftrangers there, he all at once fufpefted the truth, and difpatched a confidential fervant to Fidele, under a fhew of bufinefs, to inquire whether we w^rethofe ftran- gers. An explanation immediately followed upon his co- ming to my houfe, and efpecially concerning the meffage the Shekh of Beyla had received from the Shekh. of Atbara^ that we were gone by Kuara down the Dendar. lie faid, that his matter either had Tent, or intended to fend, advice of this to my fervant at Sennaar, who, expecTiingus no long, er by Teawa, would neither come himfelf, nor fcek a king's, fervant to conduft us from hence, but would feek meafures for our fafety the other way, or wait at Sennaar, expecting our arrival daily; for the way from Kuara was through a number of outlawed, or banditti Arabs, fo that it was not in the power of the government of Sennaar, if ever fo well

inclined.