THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 601
through and through."— " The cup, the cup, fays he, and— fill it full ; 1 defy the devil, and trufl in St George and the dragon. — Here is to Catharine, emprefs of all the Ruffias, con- fufion to her enemies, and damnation to all at Paros." — " Well, friend, faid I, you was long in refolving, but you have done it at laft to feme purpofe ; I am fure I did not drink damnation to ail <it Paros." — " Ah, fays he, but I did, and will do it again — Damnation to all at Paros, and Cyprus, and Rhodes, Crete, and Mytilene into the bargain : Here it goes with all my heart. Amen, fo be it." — " And who do you think, faid I, are at Paros ?" — " Pray, who mould be there, fays he, but Turks and devils, the word race of mon- fters and oppreffors in the Levant ; I have been at Paros my- felf ; was you ever there?" — " Whether I was ever there or not ^5 no matter, faid I ; the emprefs's fleet, and an army of Ruffians, are now poffibly there ; and here you, without provocation, have drank damnation to the Ruffian fleet and army who have come fo far from home, and are at this mo- ment fword in hand to reftore you io your liberty, and the free excrcife of your religion; did not I tell you, you was no Greek, and fcarcely deferved the name of Chriilian ?" — " No, no, Sir, cries Strates, for God's fake do not fay fo, I would rather die. I did not underftand you about Paros ; there was no malice in my heart againft the Ruffians. God will bids them, and my folly can do them no harm — Huzza, Catharine, and victory !" whilft he tolled his cap into the air.
A number of the Agows had appeared upon the hill, juft before the valley, in filent wonder what Strates and I were doing at the altar. Two or three only had come down to the edge of the fwamp, had feen the grimaces and
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