THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 447
Jidda to his countrymen." To which Belal replied, " The king will find feme way when he thinks farther of it."
A FEW days after this I had a melTage from the palace. I found the king fitting alone, apparently much chagrined, and in ill-humour. He afl^ed me, in a very peevilh man- ner, " If I was not yet gone ?" To which I anfwered, " Your Majefty knows that it is impolTible for me to go a ftep from Sennaar without alliftance from you." He again allced me, in the fame tone as before, " How I could think of coming that way ?" I faid, nobody imagined in Abyffinia but that he was able to give a ilranger fafe condu(5l through his own dominions." He made no reply, but nodded a fign for me to depart, which I immediately did, and fo finifhed this fhortr,. but difagreeable interview.
About four o'clock that fame afternoon I was again fent for to the palace, when the king told me that feveral of his wives were ill, and defired that I would give them my advice, which I promifed to do without difficulty, as all acquaintance with the fair fex had hitherto been much to my advantage. I muft confefs, however, that calling thefe the fair fex is not preferving a precifion in terms. I was admitted into a large fquare apartment very ill lighted, in which were about fifty women, all perfe^flly black, Avithouc any covering but a very narrow piece of cotton rag about their waifts. While I was mufing whether or not thefe all might be queens, or whether there was any queen among them, one of them took me by the hand and led me rudely enough into another apartment. This was much better lighted than the firft. Upon a large bench, or fvfa, covered I with
