440 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
the largefl and mod beautiful amethyfls upon his finger that ever I faw, mounted plain, without any diamonds, and a fmall gold ear-ring in one of his ears.
" Why have you come hither, fays he to me, without arms, and on foot, and without attendants ?" Tagotibe. " I was told that horfes were not kept at Sennaar, and brought none with me." Adclan. " You fuppofe you have come through great dangers, and fo you have. But what do you think of me, who am day and night out in the fields, furrounded by hundreds and thoufands of Arabs, all of whom would eat me alive if they dared ?" I anfwered, " A brave man, ufed to command as you are, does not look to the number of his enemies, but to their abilities; a wolf does not fear ten thou- fand fheep more than he does one." Ad. " True ; look out at the door ; thefe are their chiefs whom I am now taxing, and I have brought them hither that they may judge from v/hat they fee whether I am ready for them or not." Tag. " You could not do more properly ; but, as to my own af- fairs, I wait upon you from the king of AbyiTmia, defiring fafe conduct through your country into Egypt, with his roy- al promife, that he is ready to do the like for you again, or any other favour you may call upon him for." He took the letter and read it. Ad. " The king of Abyfilnia may be af- fured I am always ready to do more for him than this. It is true, fince the mad attempt upon Sennaar, and the next ilill madder, to replace old Baady upon the throne, we have had no formal peace, but neither are we at war. We un- derftand one another as good neighbours ought to do ; and what eife is peace ?" Yog. " You know I am a ftranger and traveller, feeking my way home. I have nothing to do with peace or war between nations. All I beg is a fafe con- 3 dud
