THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 575
Strates had refufed to go to the firft cataract, having fo violent an appetite that he could not abandon the cow; and, after my arrival, it was his turn to watch that night. When I was lain down to reft in a little hovel like a hog's fly, near where they were fitting, I heard a warm difpute among the fervants, and, upon inquiry, found Strates was preparing fteaks on a gridiron to make an entertainment for himfelf while the reft were fieeping; thefc, on the other hand, were refolved to play him a trick to punifh his gluttony. When the fteaks were fpread upon the gridiron, Woldo had undertaken to pour fome fine duft, or fand, through the hole in the roof, which ferved as a chim- ney; and this he had done with fuccefs as often as Strates went to any diftance from the fire. Not content, however, with the pofition in which he then was, but defirous to do it more effectually, he attempted to change his place upon the roof where he flood, thinking it all equally ftrong to bear him; but in this he was miftaken; the part he was removing to fuddenly gave way, and down he came upon the floor, bringing half the roof and pare of the wall, together with a, prodigious duft, into the fire.
The furprife and fight of his own danger made Woldo repeat fome ejaculation to himfelf in Galla. My fervants, who were waiting the fuccefs of the fcheme, cried, The Galla! the Galla! and Strates, who thought the whole ar- my of wild Galla had furrounded the houfe, fell upon his face, calling Maruni! Maruni! — Spare me! fpare me! — I was in a profound fieep when roufed by the noife of the roof, the falling of the man, and the cry of Galla! Galla! I flatted up, and laid hold of a mufket loaded with flugs, a bayonet at the end of it, and ran to the door, when the firft
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