6o8 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
ing his own people as much as the Bifhareen ; and faying always, by way of proverb, " Every body is an enemy in the defert." The Aga had fent four fervants belonging to his ftables to accompany us ; adive, lively, and good-hu- moured fellows. Our people too, were all recruited. If- mael, and blind Georgis, were left to take care of the houfe in my abfence. About twelve o'clock we got into a valley, and hid ourfelves in the lowed part of it, under a bank, for the night was exceeding cold ; but we had fpirits with us, which we drank with moderation. We there refreflied our beafts about half an hour, and again ftopt in a valley among trees. I was afraid that we had palTed our baggage in the dark, as none of us were perfectly fure of the place ; but as foon as light came, we recovered our traft as frefli and entire as when we made it. After having gone about half an hour in our former footfleps, we had the unfpeak- able fatisfaflion to find our quadrant and whole baggage ; and by them the bodies of our llaughtered camels, a fmall part of one of them having been torn by the haddaya, or kite.
It was agreed we fliould not ftay here, but load and de- part immediately ; this was done in an inftant ; five camels r eafily carried the loads, with a man upon them befides ; and there were three more camels, upon which we rode by turns. We made a brifk retreat from Saffieha to Syene, which is about forty miles. At a little pall four in the af- ternoon we entered the town again, without any accident whatever, or without having feen one man in our jour- ney.
Here
