THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 405
and faw it was begun. There was to be a total eclipfe of the moon. I did not tell them at firft, till it had advanced fome way, and was apparent upon the dillc. " Now ! look at thar, faid I ; in feme time after this the moon fhall be fo total- ly fwallowed up in darknefs, that a fmall light fliall only be fcen in the edges." They were frightened at the denuncia- tion, ratlier than at any thing they obferved, till a little be- fore the eclipfe became total. A violent apprehenfion then fell upon them all ; and the women from their apartments began to howl as they do on all melancholy occafions of misfortune, or death. They were in the inner fquare. " Now, continued I, I have kept my word ; it will foon be clear again, and will do no harm to man or beaft."
It was agreed among them that I fhould not go home till it was totally at an end. I confented to this ; and only faid to the Shekh, that I wifhed he would let me fee my pa- tients before I went away, for that one of them was really ill, and needed advice. He feemed to take it very kindly, and defired me to go' in. I was met in the anti- chamber by Aifcach, and two or three black flaves, who cried out in great terror, " O! Hakim ! what is this ! what are you going to do!" " I am going to do, Madam, faid I, one of the mofl difagreeable things I ever did in my life ; I am going to take leave of you." I was immediately furrounded with a number of women, fome of them crying, fome of them with children in their arms. I went into the room where the two ladies were, whom I quieted and fatisfied to the utmoft of my power. We parted with reciprocal profcffions of friendfliip and regret at feparation. I then begged that I might fee their flave, who ufed to bring us meat, with a clean cloth, to wrap up fomething I had for them. They A teld
