Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/638

610 known disposition of those people, that what they desire must be granted instantly, I asked him whether he was at leisure or not to see them? He said, "By all means; it was a good time." I then sent Michael my servant for a book of trees, and one of fishes.

the interim arrived one of their priests, or an Imam, who are esteemed the most learned of their clergy. Ill-humour and ill-breeding is the characteristic of violent people of all religions; a Christian fanatic is not one bit more charitable towards those that differ from him than a Turkish saint; the greatest difference between them is the turban. Though I was the only reason of his coming there at that time, he passed me with the most contemptible indifference, his eyes half shut and lifted up to heaven, full of that exalted pride by which his great master fell from happiness. "I wish to know, (says he to the Aga, regardless of me) if that Kafr saw any thing of Mahomet Towash in the desert." The Aga asked me, I saw, with some degree of shame, and I answered him:—"I saw Mahomet Towash alive at Chendi, richly cloathed as if he had been at Mecca. He had twelve or fourteen men armed with firelocks, and about fourscore Tucorory, each with a lance in his hand, to whom he was to give food and water in crossing the desert. There were three Hybeers, all Bishareen, who had come from Suakem with the caravan, and were carrying back senna to the neighbourhood of Syene. I offered to join company with them; and though one Hybeer was enough for him, yet, to distress me as being a Christian, he took the whole three along with him. In vain Sittina, Wed Ageeb's sister, and Wed el Faal's mother, desired him to leave one of the Bisha-