Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/408

 38o TRAVELSTODISCOVER

heartily, nor did I ever remember any of them take medi- cine upon that day. But with Fidele all was feftival, not even their annual folemn fail of Ramadan did he ever keep, but was univerfally known to be an unbeliever, even in what was called his own religion. I had ftill this further objeftion to wait upon him at night, that he had gone fo far as to folicit Soliman to affift him in murdering me. But I confidered at laft, that we could not efcape from his hands ; and that the only way to avoid the danger was to brave it. Providence, indeed, feemed all along to have referved our deliverance for our own exertions, under its diretSlion, as all the ways we had taken to get relief from others had hitherto, in appearance at leaft, mifcarried. However, it was refolved to go armed, for fear of the worft ; but to conceal our v/eapons, fo as to give no umbrage. I had a fmall Bref- cian blunderbufs, about 22 inches in the barrel, which had a joint in the ftock, fo that it folded double. It hung by an iron hook to a thin belt under my left arm, clofe to my fide, quite unperceivcd, like a cutlafs. I likewife took a pair of piftols in my girdle, and my knife as ufual. All thefe were perfecTrly covered by my burnoofe ; fo that, with a little attention, when I fat down, it was impoffible to dif- eover my having any weapons about me.- Hagi Ifmael the Turk, Soliman my fervant, and two other Moorilh fer- vants, took alfo their fire arms, fmall and great, and fwords,. along with them. We all went to the houfe of th6 Shekh a little before feven o'clock in the evening. I entered the back door into the fquare where the women's houfe was ; but declined going fo far as their apartment without leave, turning to the left hand into the fide of the fquare where he ufually fvaid. I was furprifcd to meet but one fervant, a 2 black