376 TRAVELS TO DISCOVE
inclined, to conduA us one Hep in fafety on that road till we fliould be within two days journey of Sennaar. The fervant therefore propofed, that he lliould return inftantly to Beyla, (as he did that night) and that his maflsr Ihould fend a meflenger on a dromedary exprefs to Sennaar, to in- form Hagi Belal of our fituation, and procure immediate re- lief. He promifed further, that his mailer fliould fend a MouUah, (or man of extraordinary holinefs and learning) in whofe prefence Shekh Fidele would not dare to proceed to extremities, as this was a man univerfally efteemed, and of great weight and reputation at Sennaar, both with Abou Calec and Adelan, as well as throughout Atbara.
I MUST here obviate a very reafonable objection which may be made by my reader: — " Why, when you knew your fafety depended upon the government of Sennaar, when you was arrived at Teawa, did you not take the firft oppor- tunity of notifying it to Fidele, that you had already fent to.acquaint your correfpondent at Sennaar that you had fct out for that place r" I anfwer. That to do this had been many times in agitation among us, but was always rejed;- ed. It was thought a dangerous meafure to leave a man like Fidele, the only perfon who had feen us, to give us any character and defcription he pleafed, who, from the con- neclion and correfpondence he muft have in that capital,, and the confidence necelTarily placed in him, as governor of a frontier province, might fo far prejudice the minds of .that credulous and brutal people, by mifreprefenting us, as either to get orders fo cut us off upon our journey, or pro- cure us a fate fimilar to that of M. du Roule, the French en- voy, after our arriving in that capital. It was by the good- nels of Providence alone that we were reftrained from 2 adopting
