Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/562

 534 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

top of her nofe, and between her eye-brows, Ihe had a fmall fpeck made of cohol or antimony, fom'-corner'd, and of the fize of the fmallefl patches our women ufed to wear ; ano- ther rather longer upon the top of her nofe, and one on the middle of her chin.

Sitt'ina. " Tell me what you would fay to me as a phyfi- cian." — Ta. " It was, Madam, but in confequence of your difcourfe yeflerday. That heavy gold cap with which you prefs your hair will certainly be the caufe of a great part of it falling off." S'ltt. " I believe fo; but I fhould catch cold, I am fo accuftomed to it, if I was to leave it off. Are you a man of name and family in your own country ?" Ta. " Of both, Madam." Sitt. " Are the women handfome there ?" Ta. " The handfomefl: in the world. Madam ; but they are fo good, and fo excellent in all other refpefts, that nobody thinks at all of their beauty, nor do they value themfelves upon it." S'ltt. " And do they allow you to kifs their hands ?" Ta. " I underftand you. Madam, though you have miftaken me. There is no familiarity in killing hands, it is a mark of homage, and diftant refpedl paid in my country to our fovereigns, and to none earthly befides." Sitt. " Oyes! but the kings." Ta. " Yes, and the queens, too, always on the knee, Madam; I faidour fovereigns, meaning both king and queen. On her part it is a mark of gracious condefcenfion, in favour of rank, merit, and honourable behaviour; it is a reward for dangerous and difficult lervices, above all other compenfation." 6'///. " But do you know that no man e, er kifled my hand but you ?" Ta. "It is impoffible 1 fho Jd know that, nor is it material. Of this I am confiden . it was meant reipedfully, cannot hurt you, and ought not to

offend