442 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
not how to make war, and yet will not fit in peace." I then took my leave of him, but there was a plentiful break- fall in the other room, to which he fent us, and which went far to comfort Hagi Ifmael for the misfortune of his patron Ali Bey. At going out, I took my leave by kiffing his hand, which he fubmitted to without reluctance. " Shekh, faid I, when I pafs thefe Arabs in the fquare, I hope it will not difoblige you if I converfe with fome of them out of curiofity ?" Ad. " By no means, as much as you pleafe ; but don't let them know where they can find you at Sennaar, or they will be in your houfe from morn- ing till night, will eat up all your victuals, and then, in return, will cut your throat if they can meet you upon your journey."
I RETURNED liomc to Scunaar, very well pleafed with my reception at Aira. I had not fecn, fmce 1 left Gondar, a man fo open and frank in his manners, and who fpoke without difguife what apparently he had in his heart ; but he was exceedingly engaged in bufmefs, and it was of fuch extent that it feemed to me impoilible to be brought to an end in a much longer time than I propofed flaying at Sennaar. l^ie dillance, too, between Aira and that town was a very great difcouragement to me. The whole way was covered with infolent, brutifh people, fo that every man we met between Sennaar and Aira produced fome al- tercation, fome demand of prefents, gold, cloth, tobacco, and a variety of other difagreeable circumflances, which liad always the appearance of ending in fomcthing fe- rious.
I HAD
