Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/424

 39^ TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

durft go on fuch an errand, it is fome diflurbance about Tchelga."

I EASILY perceived that the Moullah wanted me to con- fefs, which I Hkewife faw the ufe of myfelf. " I fent, faid I, melTengers from Teawa two feveral times. The firft, when Fidele pretended Yafme was to murder me in the defert ; the fecond, when he faid he had no camels ; and I alfo mentioned the piallres, and his intention to murder me." " Ammonios, fays black Soliman, and Yafinc, Nara, and Ras el Feel, all belong to Ay to Confu, and were given to Yagoube by him, for his maintenance all the time he was at Gondar. Ayto Confu and he are brothers ; they were together in the camp, llept together in the fame houfe; . they are brothers and more than brothei-s, for they fwore to each other, when we paiTed Tcherkin, upon the heart of the elephant * I fwear by our holy faith, that Confu will be down here himfclf ; what does he care for a journey of. two days T'

All now with one voice condemned Fidele, who had' not a word to fay, only, that if he knew the perfon who- carried that mcflage, he would cut off his head, if he was his brother. " But it is impoffiblc, fays the Shekh ; fliouldl not have known of the meffenger being abfent? impoffible i" Then turning to his fervant, faidj " Is Kutcho el Hybari h^re ? I have not feen him lately." — " Sir, fays he, you know you fent Kutcho to Mendera long before the Flakim ar- rived."

This is a Teryhorrid oath, full of nonfenfe, and vows of friendfhip and fecKCj.