THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 617
againft you at the day of judgment ?" Ta. " I do not 'know, but 1 fhall be very much furprifed if it does." " I afliire you he will, fays Hagi Soliman." Ta. " Be it fo, it is a matter of indifference to me." So/. " Do you know what God will fay to you about that fifli ? Shall I tell you? Ta. " I have not the leaft idea, and you will oblige me." Sol. " God will fay to you, Did you make that fifli ? What will you anfwer ? Ta. " I will anfwer, I did." SoL " He will fay to you again. Make a foul to it." Ta. " I will anfwer, I cannot." So/. " He will fay. Why did you make that fifli's body, when you was not capable to give it a foul? What can you anfwer then?" Ta. " 1 made that body, becaufe thou gaveft me talents and capacity to do it. I do not make the foul, becaufe thou haft denied me power and ability, and referved that to thyfelf on- ly." So/. " Do you think he will be contented with that an- fwer?" Ta. " I do moft certainly think fo. It is truth, and I do not think a more dired one can be given." So/. " Aha i the Moullah would tell you that will not do; painting things that have life is idolatry^ and the punifliment is hell-fire." Ta. " Patience, then, my cafe is defperate, for it is not a fin I intend to repent of." Thus ended this curious difcuflion, and we went away in perfecft good humour one with the other. A number of the better fort drank coiFee with me in the evening. The Aga fent me two flieep, and, obferving my feet much inflamed and wounded, made me likewife a prefent of a pair of flippers of foft Turkey leather to defend ihcmfrom the inclemency of the weather.
It was the nth of December when we left Syene ; we cannot fay failed, for our maft being down, we went with the current and the oars, when the wind was againfl: us. In our voyage down the Nile we had but very
Vol. IV. 4 1 indifl^ercnt
