Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile/Volume 4/Book 8/Chapter 5
THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 555
CHAP. V.
Transactions at Teawa — Attempts of the Shekh to detain the Author there - Administers Medicines to him and his Wives — Various Conversations with him, and Instances of his Treachery,
AT the passage of the small river, about a quarter of a mile from Teawa, we were met by a man on horseback, cloathed with a large, loose gown of red camlet, or some such stuff, with a white muslin turban upon his head, and about so naked, beggarly servants on foot, with lances, but no shields; two small drums were beating, and a pipe playing before them. He flopt upon my coming near them, and affected a delicacy in advancing to falute me, he being on horseback, and I upon a mule, for my horse was led behind, saddled and bridled, with a loose blue cloth covering him. Soliman, who first accussed him, told him it was the custom of Abyssinia not to mount horses but in time of 3j6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
war, upon which he immediately difmounted, and, upon feeing this, I ahghted Hkewife. We fahited one another very courteoufly. He was a man about feventy, with a very long beard, and of a very graceful appearance. It was with the utmoft difficulty I could prevail upon him to mount his horfe, af& he declared his intention was to walk by the fide of my mule till he entered the town of Teawa. This being over- ruled, by an invincible obflinacy on my part, he- was at laft conftrained to mount on horfeback, which he did with an agility only to be expefted from a young maa of twenty.
Being mounted, he fliewed us a variety of paces on horfe* back. All this, too, was counted a humiliation and polite- nefs on his part, as playing tricks, and prancing on horfe- back, is never done but by young men before their elders, or by meaner people before their fuperiors. We palled by a very commodious houfe, where he ordered my fervants to unload my baggage, that being the refidence alTigned for me by the Shekh. He and I, with Soliman on foot by the fide of my mule, crofTed an open fpace of about five hundred yards, where the market is kept ; he protefted a thoufand times by the way, what a fliame it was to him to. appear on horfeback^ when a great man. like me was riding on a mule..
A LITTLE after, having paiTcd this ixjuare, we came to the Shekh's houfe, or rather a colledion of houfes, one llorey high, built with canes j near the ftreer, at entering, there was a large hall of unburnt brick, to which we afcended by four or five flcps. The hall was a very decent one, co- vered with lira w- mats ; and there was in the m.iddle of it,,
a cliairi, THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 2S7
a chair*, underftood to be the place of the grand fignior. The Shekh himfelf was fitting en the ground for humiUty's <ake, reading the Koran, or pretending to read it. At our entry he feemed to be furprifed, and made an attempt as if to rife up, which immediately I prevented him from doing, holding him down by the hand, which I kiffed.
I SHALL not fatigue the reader with the uninterefling converfation that paffed at this firll interview. He affedt- ed to admire my fize and apparent ftrength, introduced fame loofe hints about AbyfTinian women; and, in ge- neral, pretended to blame me for expoling myfelf to tra- vel in fuch a country. In return, I complained of the ex- treme fatigue of the journey and heat, the beafts of prey,, the thick woods without fliade, the want of water, and, above all, the poifonous blafts of the limoom that had al- moft overcome me, the effects of which I was at that in- ftant feeling..
He then blamed himfelf very politely, in a manner na-- tural to the Arabs, for having fuffered me to come to him before I had repofed myfelf, which he excufed by his defire of feeing fo great a man as me. He faid alio, that he would detain me no longer ; bid me repofe a day or two- in quiet and in fafety ; and, upon my riflng to go away, he got up likewife, and holding me by the hand, faid, " 1 he
greateft
- It is the cuflom, in all places where the governor is invefled with fjnreme power, to
have an atm-chair left empty in the middle of the hall where juftice is adnxiuiftered, which, reprefjnts the fovereigo, and to wiiieh obeifance is made.358 TRAVELS TO DISCOVEH
greateft part of the dangers you have paiTed in the way are, I believe, as yet unknown to you. Your Moor, Yafine, of Ras el Feel, is a thief worfe than any in Habefh. Se- veral times you efcaped very narrowly, by mere chance, from being cut off, efpecially at Rafhid, by the Arabs Da- veina, whom Yafme had polled there to murder you. But you have a clean heart, and clean hands. God faw their defigns, and protected you ; and, I may fay alfo, on my own part, I was not wanting."
Being then on my legs for retiring, I returned no an- fwer,, but the ufual one (Ullah Kerim) i. e. God is merciful. Soliinan, on the other fide, echoed, " Ullah Kerim /" by which I faw he underftood me. We both went out, and were condudled to the apartment provided by the old man in the red cloak, who met us on oiu- firft arrival at the river, and who now walked before me till we came to the houfe. It was a very decent one, confiiHng only of one large room, and flood clofe upon the river. This fituation v^^as chofcn with an intention to keep open the correfpondence with the Shekh of Nile's fervant, whom we had fent to thejehaina, and who occafionally was to meet us there ; but Soliman told the old man, it was neceflar)' to me, on account of fre- quent ablutions before prayer, which my religion obliged nie to perform. This old man was called Hagi Soliman Kaiya, that, is, the Sliekh's Lieutenant, He had been at Mecca, and had feen Metical Aga, and knew his poft and confcquencc ; but he was a nxurdcrcr and robber like his mafter, a liar and •dillcmbkr beyond all conception.
We had fcarce taken polTefllcn of our lodging, or thrown
off our clothes to put ourfelves at our eafe, when feveral
2 flaves THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 3-59^
flaves of both fexes, brought lis a quantity of di flies of meat from the Shekh, with many flattering comphmcnts and good wifhes* The whole was difpatched very fpeedily,. and fome of oUr poor companions of the caravan, v/ith the faltj came and helped us very thankfully, without ceremony, as is the cuilom of the country. When all was over, I was aftonifhed at one young man, who came and put his mouth clofe to my ear, faying thefe few Words in Arabic, " Seitati Fidele ! el Shekh el Atbara Seitan !" i.e. l-idele is a devil ! the Shekh of Atbara is the devil himfelf !
All ftrangers were now difmifTed, under pretence of oils'- going immediately to repofe. V^Ie had, indeed, much need of reft in our prefent fituaiion, but ftill more of council, for which we immediately aiTembied by ourfelves, after having fliut the door. I alked Soliman what he thought of the Shekh of Atbara^ and his difcourfe. He anfwered, without hefitation, " He is a traitor, has deceived Yaiine, and means vou ill." The word,^rf^/ 7)7an, fo often applied to me- — the abufe beftowed upon Yafme, whom in his letters he had called his dear brother — the wondering that I came that way, after, in his letters, and by his fervants, he had fo often perfuaded us, while at Ras el Feel, that it was the beft, nay,, the only road pofTible ; all this united together,feemed to leave us no doubt but that we had fallen into a trap, from which, our own activity and relblutions, under- the protection of Providence, could alone releafe us. .
It may be remembered that, fome time before our fetting out frcun Pvas el Feel, I had difpatched a fervant with the Daveina to Sennaar, whom they were to efcort as far as Bey- la; and they had confxgned him into the bands of Maho-
m&t,, 55o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
met, Shekh of Beyla, who was to forward him to Sennaar ; and this he certainly would have done immediately without delay, but for a misfortime that happened, and entirely dif- concerted the plan. The Daveina, on their way to Beyla, had heard that an encampment of Arabs, (who ufually, at this time, occupy the banks of the Nile) had come eall- ward towards Atbara. Whether the Daveina intended to attack thefe Arabs, or were afraid the Arabs intended to fall upon them, I know not ; but they returned weftward to the left, inftead of coming to Beyla ; they fent my fer- vant forward, after fome lofs of time, and Mahomet, Shekh of Beyla, had forwarded him to Sennaar. Here, too, he was detained by Shekh Adelan, the firft minifter, who happened then not to be at Sennaar, but levying taxes upon the Arabs. This we did not know at that time ; fo every moment we expedled his arrival. We were difappointed, likewife, in not finding a fervant of the Shekh of Beyla waiting for us, who was to inform us of the fituation of the country about Bey- la. This we more wondered at, becaufe, being ill of the gravel, he had expreficd himfelf very anxious, in his letter to Yafme, to have fome lime-water, which his fervant was to get from, me at Teawa. We did not then know, as v«re foon afterwards did, that this fervant had been waiting for us at Teawa, and that Shekh Fidele had informed him that I was no longer coming by Atbara, but that Coque Abou Barea had fent me, under the care of fome Ganjar horfe, ftraight down the Dcnder from Kuara ; fo that the Shekh of Beyla did not expe(5t to fee me.
All this being imknown to us, we were in conflant ex-
pedlation of icrvants from Sennaar, and the meiTage from the
Shekh of Beyla. But, as we all agreed we were in danger,
4 we THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 361
we refolved, the next day, at meeting Shekh el Nile's fervant, to difpatch him to Ras el Feel, requiring Yafme to fend feme perfon, as from the king or Ayto Confu, to alk the rea- fon of our being detained, and to be a witnefs of the Shekh's behaviour and our departure. In the mean time, we de- termined to make our interviews with him as few as poffi- ble, till fome affiftance fliould arrive. Soliman met the Shekh el Nile's fervant, and gave him the letter he was to carry to Yaiine, explaining himfelf to the Arab by word of mouth.
On the night of the 24th of March, the day after our ar- rival, our difpatch fet off from Jibbel Ifriff for Has cl Feel ; where he arrived fafely, but found Yafme was gone to Ay- to Confu at Tcherkin, elfe he would certainly have been the firft to bring us comfort, for he had executed his com- miflion with great fidelity. This day I had ilaid in the houfe, being ill of the fimoom ; but had fent to Fidele, to let him know I fliould v/ait upon him next day, having as yet given him no prefent, and being defirous to know what effed that might have.
On the 25th, at four o'clock I waited upon the Shekh ac- cordingly, in his own houfe. Soliman the Moor, Hagi Ifmael the Turk, who, bcfides, was a flierriffe, and my Greek fervant, were along with me. I gave the Shekh, for a pre- fent, a large piece of blue Indian cotton cloth, with gold flowers, a filk and cotton fafli, about two ounces of civet, two pounds of nutmegs, and ten pounds of pepper. He received the prefentsrvery gracioufiy to appearance, and laid all the articles down beiide him. I deiired that he would difpatch me as foon as poffiblc, and, for that end, be pre-
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paring the camels. He anfwercd, the camels were fifteen days journey off, in the fandy deferc, for fear of the flies ; but that the want of them fhould not detain us, if he had leave from Sennaar, for which he was to write that night. He added, that they always were exceedingly tedious at Sen- naar, and both the town and road were, at prefent, in a very unfettled ftate. I told him, I was furprifed at this, as Hagi Belal had written to Yafme and myfelf alfo, in a letter (then in my cuflody) that orders were gone both to him and the Shekh of Bey la, to receive me kindly, and forward me fafely and fpeedily to Sennaar : that he himfclf had con- fefTed this to Yafme in a letter written to him from Teawa, dcfiring that I would come fpeedily, as he had every thing ready, which letter I myfelf had read. Fidele feemed in the utmod furprife at this. He lifted up his hands and eves, as if I had been tellinq; the ffreateft of lies. He faid, " he never wrote a letter about me to Valine in his life ; or, at leafl:, nor this year ; that it was all a forgery ot Yafine, knowing that I had a quantity of gold with me, to get me out into the defert, to rob and murder me there ; that I might fee he never could receive fuch orders, or elfc it would have been as inuch as his life was worth, not to have prepared to difparch me immediately ; but fo far from that, fays he, feek all over the town, and if you find one- camel, or any other number, I Vvill make you a prefcnt of them all, for this is entirely a forgery of Yafme."
SoLTMAN could bear this no longer. He told Fidele,. " That it was he who v/as a forger and a liar, not Yafine. Will you perfuade mc that I do not know of your letter to Y'afme ? Have not your fervants Ibvaiiim and Naffer lived with us at Ras el Feel for weeks together as bearers of thefe
letters. THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 3^5
letters, which I have fecn in their hands before reading, /
and al'fo read them afterwards ? Was I not fpeaking to them /
both this morning about the letters ? and are not they jud — ^
now waiting without ? If you have a mind to call them in, and quefliou them, do it now before me. What do you think Yafine will fay when he hears of the fine character you give him ?" " Soliman, replies the bhekh, in a very foft tone'of voice, I may have forgotten, in the many letters and affairs that pafs through my hands in a day ; but Yafme is my brother, and I will do every thing for him and you that you could wifn : flay only this week, and if my camels do not arrive, I v/ill fend and take them from the Arabs, wherever they can be found. They are for the king's bufi- iiefs, and not mine." He faid this with fuch an air of can- dour and fihcerity, that it was impofTible to doubt hmi.
•On the 26th, I went in the forenoon to fee the Shekh ; I
fat a few minutes v.'ith him, then rofe ^o go away. He
then inquired if I had any thing particular to afic ? T an-
fvvered, I had nothing but to pay my compliments to him.
He made me a very civil bow, and I took my leave. Next
day, the 2 7th, I ftaid in the houfe all day, it being the Shckh's
feftival. In the evening, the old man, who was the Kaiya,
cam.e to my houfe with compliments from the Shekh. Ke
told me Fidele was often ill with complaints in the ftomach,
and hinted that it was from exceffive drinking. He wifaed
that I Vi^ould give him fome medicine to vomit him, and
reilorc his appetite, which he had perfectly lod. The old
man added, that tliis was the way to make the Shekh do
what I wiilied, fooner than all the prefents in the Vv^orld.
I told him, that he might afllire Fidele, that I both could,
and would do him that fervice, and for that purpofe Vvould
wait upon him at 6 o'clock next evening.
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On the 28th, in the evenhig I went to the Shekh's houfe with the medicine, and it anfwered all our expe6lations. I obferved, however, when the cup with the ipecacuanha was in his hands, that they trembled, and alfo his under lip. He was apparently at that time under fome apprehen- fion, which his confcience fuggefted, of what it was in my power to do to him. In thefe countries they have an eme- tic which they take occafionally, which operates fo violently, that it often throws them into convulfions. What it may be I know not. Some fay it is the fmall feed of a flower like the poppy ; fome, the pith of a tree, after it has been dried and rubbed into a fine powder by the hand ; whatever it may be, it is fo fevere in proportion to the ftrongeft doze of ipecacuanha, that the latter feemed but like a fport in compariibn. The cafe that warm water gc- cafioned, which he had never experienced before, was fo unexpedled, that he could hardly be fatisfied with drinking. After this was over, all was thankfulnefs, and promifes of doing whatever I fliould defire of him, provided I would adminider two or three dozes more to him, and, if he for- warded me quickly, leave him fome of the powder, with direcflions how to take it in my abfence. This I engaged faithfully to do, and we parted apparently the befl friends in the world.
The 29th, early in the morning, before fun-rife, I had a melTage from him again by the Kaiya, to whom I gave coffee at the door while I was dreffmg. He told me, the Shekh was wonderfully well, and never in fuch health and fpirits in his life, but defired that I would come to him in the evening, for two of his wives were ill of the fame diforder that he had. 1 excufed myfelf, under pretence that it was
Sundav,
\ T H E S OU R C E O F T H E NILE. s<^S
Sunday, my feftival, and that I never \vent out upon any buiinels.
IThis excufe paffed as to the Shekh, but at noon a black common Have came down with a meiFage from her mif- trefles, who thought the anfwer given to the Kaiya was a refuflil. They faid, they v/ere forry if I had not meat to my hking ; that they drefled it with their own hands every day in the beil manner poflible, but they would aker it in any refpect I chofe, if I would inilruc^ them. I foon found how necelTary it was to content my benefacftrefTes. I ex- plained my anfwer to the Shekh about Sunday ; but afTured them, that on Monday evening I fliould be with them, to vomit them till they were perfecT:ly fatisfied ; in the mean time, I took a fmall cup, which I filled with civet, and fent it by the Have to her miftrelles ; giving likewife, at the fame time, two handfuls of pepper for herfclf.
On the 30m, in the evening I went to the Shekh's houfe according to promife, and was carried into a large room, Avhere he was fitting alone, fmoaking in an alcove ; I fup- pofe meditating future mifchief, for he had no other ap- parent employment. He was perfedly fober, however, and feemed rather thoughtful ; was very civil, and thanked me in an unufual Urain of kindnefs, for the care I had taken of his family. I aflced him if he was recovered ? He declared, he had never been ib well in his life as fince I had given him the laft vomit ; but that he had received very bad news from Sennaar, that Mahomet Abou Calcc (the firft miniiler) had taken the greateft part of the horfe and troops, and was gone to Kordofan, a very diftant province, furrounded with deferts, where he governed independently ; and by his man- 3^ ners.
e ^66 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
ners and difcourfe feemed refolved to withdraw himfelf from his duty to the king: That Shekh Adclan, his young- er brother, with the remaining troops, had left Sennaar, and was encamped at Aira, a few miles from the town, v/here he too governed defpotically by his own v/ill ; it being the prerogative of the minifter to have abfolutc power as foon as he has left the capital, and put himfelf at the head of the army, for levying the tax from the Arabs ; but that he had parted v/ith the king on terms very little fhort of rebellion. He then faid, " Since this is the cafe, that Providence has thrownyour lot here, that you cannot go forward to Sen- naar, nor back to Abyffinia, if you will refolve to ftay with me, and turn Mahometan, which is the only true religion, I will give you my daughter for your wife, and you fliall be fecond man in the government of Teawa ; and as my intention is to go next year to Mecca, you fliall then be appointed to the government of iVtbara, Vvhile I go to Sen- naar, and procure an office fitter for an old man,"
Although I feldcm, in my life, was lefs inclined to mer- riment, I aifeded to break out into a loud fit of laughter; at which he looked grave, feeraing to take it ill, and aflcing me if I laughed at huii ? " Exactly fo, laid I, at you ; I vras laughing to think that a man fet over a province to govern it, like you, fhould yet knowfo little cf mankind as to ima- gine, one like me capable of turning renegado. You may deny it for forae purpofe of your own, but 1 know you are well informed of the degree of favour and honour in which I was whilft in Abyffinia, where I had every thing that. I dcfired. They were people of my religion, and yet I never could confcnteithertofc?y w'ththem or marry among them. What then could be my inducement to marry here, to 3 ^ change change my religion, and live in a country where there is nothing but poverty, misery, famine, fear, and dependence?" "Hearken, says he, you are a fool ; this country is a thou- sand times healthier and sweeter than Abyssinia; but, since you wont take my advice, I shall say no more ; come and see my Harem[1]." — "With all my heart, replied I, as far as that I will go, and shall be happy to do both you and your family all the good I can."
The Shekh went before me, through several apartments, well proportioned, but very meanly furnished, slovenly, and in bad order. This was the part of the house that belonged to himself, and formed one side of a square. We crossed the square to the opposite side, where there were several apartments furnished in a much better style. The floors were all covered with Turkey carpets. In an alcove sat one of his wives upon the ground, with a number of black slaves about her. Her face was uncovered ; the circle made way for me; so that, first putting my hand to my lips, I touched the end of her fingers with the end of mine. In the mean time, the Shekh had brought a second wife from another apartment, and set her down beside the first. They were both women past the middle age, seemed to have a great many slaves attending them, but never had been handsome. One of them, I learned afterwards, was daughter to the first minister Shekh Adelan.
I THOUGHT it necessary to explain myself a little with Fidele. You know, Shekh, said I, it is not always that you 36S TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
and I agree, and though I have lived many years v/ith peo- ple of your religion of all ranks, yet I am far from knowing what are the manners of Atbara ; what will offend you or them, or what not ; for, as I have no view but your good and theirs, I would not expofe myfelf to any ill ufage to which a miftake of your cuftoms may fubjed; me. In fliort, I muft afk thefe ladies a number of queftions, which, if you choofe to hear, you may, but no perfon elfe muft, as is the cuftom of my country." " What has he to do with us and our phyXician ? faid the eideft of the two ; all his bufmefs is to pay you money when you have made us well." " What would become of him, fays Adelan's daughter, if we were to be ill ? he would ftarve for want of people to make ready his meat." — Aye, and his drink too, fays the other, which he is fonder of than his meat."—" No, no, fays ShekhFidele, in perfe6t good humour, we know you, Hakim ; you arc not like us ; afk them all the queftions you pleafe, I neither wifti nor intend to hear them ; I hear too much of them every day againft niy will, and only wifli to God you would cure them or make them dumb altogether, and then they will not teaze me with their illnefs any longer; a fick wo- man is plague fufficicnt for a devil." — " Then, clear the room, faid I, in the firft place, of all thefe idle women-fer- vants; 6nly leave two or three of the fteadieft ftaves to ferve their miftrefles." He did not feem at a lofs how to do this, for he took up a fliort whip, or fwitch, which lay at hand, and happy were they who got firft to the door. I faw among thefe a genteel female figure, covered from head to foot, whom Fidele pulled in with his hand, after he had puflied the others otit of the door, faying, " Come in, Aifcach ;" and immediately after this he went away.
I WAS THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 369
1 WAS very fenfiblc that I was playing a farce upon which a very great deal depended. Though in thefe countries the daughters of minifters and great men are given to in- feriors, this is only with a view of having them provided for ; they are fpies upon their hufbands, and keep up the confequence of their birth in their hu{ba:)d's houfc even after they are married, and this I underllood was precifely the cafe with Adelan's daughter. Notwithftand- ing the bad character I had of Fidele, I knew he durfl not rob me, without murdering me alfo ; and I was fure he did not dare to do either, if it was once known that I was arrived in the dominions of Sennaar ; and this his wife could inform Adelan her father of, whenever flie plea- fed. This was then the full Hep towards fafety.
I SHALL not trouble my reader with a repetition of my medical inquiries, nor the complaints of ladies, which arc properly fecrets with me, though at the diftance of At- l)ara. The ipecacuanha operation gave high fatisfaclion. It vv^as now happily terminated ; but, whilft it was admi- niftering, i obferved the figure, who till then appeared co- vered, had unveiled her face and head down to her flioul- ders ; and foon after one of the Haves, her attendant, as in play, pulled off the remaining part of the veil that cover- - ed her. I was aftoniilied at the fight of fo much beauty. Her hair, which was not woolly, but long, and in great quantity, was braided and twilled round like a ci'own up- on the top of her head, ornamented with beads, and the fmall white Guinea-lliells, commonly known here by the name of blackamoor's teeth. She had plain rings of gold in her ears, and four rows of gold chain about her neck, to which was hung a number of fcquins pierced;
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the reft of her drefs was a bkie fhift, which hung loofely about her, and covered her down to her feet, though it was not very rigoroufly nor very clofely difpofed all below her neck. She was the talleft of the middle fize, and not yet fifteen years of age; her whole features faultlefs; they might have ferved alone for the ftudy of a painter all his life, if he was in fearch of abfolute beauty. Her mother being an Arab of the tribe of Jehaina, her complexion was a dark brown. Such was the beautiful Aifcach, daughter of the eldeft of the ladies that I was then attending.
Neither ficknefs nor medicine could prevent thofe who were prefent from difcovering plainly how exceedingly I was difconcerted. Adelan's daughter faid to me, You wiM think nothing of the women in Atbara, after fa long a ftay in Abyffinia ; but the women in Europe, they fay, are fo white, that they are the handfomeft of all. I never was lefs perfuaded of that truth than at prefent, faid I ; and I fee perfetftly you obferve it. " Aye, aye, fays her mother, and fo we do ; if Aifcach was ill, you would take better care of her than of either of us." " Pardon me, faid I, Madam ; if the beautiful Aifcach was ill, I feel I ftiould myfelf be fo much affected as not to be able to at- tend her at all."
AiscACH made the moft gracious inclination with her head, to fliew flie was perfectly fenfible of the compliment. The women laughed out aloud. " Send for Yafme and your horfe from Ras el Feel, cries a voice behind me laugli- ing, but fpeaking perfect: good Amharic ; take her away, and carry her back with you to Abyffinia, I'll go with you with all my heart, and fo will fhe, I fv/ear to you." I turn- ed THESOURGEOFTHENILE. 371
fed with furprife to the perfon that fpoke the language, which I had not heard fpoken of late. " She is a poor Chrillian flave, fays the eldefl: of Fidele's wives, taken by the Jehaina when the Mek Baady was defeated in his re- turn to Sennaar ; fhe is a foolilh, but merry creature, as you fee." All our diet and regimen being fettled, I took my leave, and was attended to the door by the Abyffmian flave and Aifcach, who feemed to be very much her friend. When flie came to the outer door, flie covered herfelf again with her veil, from head to foot, as before, faying, in a low voice, Shall we not fee you to-morrow ?
On the 31ft of March, Fidele again infilled upon under- going another experiment of the ipecacuanha. I waited up- on him at the fame hour as before, curious to know what he would fay to me about his wives. Upon my inquiring after them, he only anfwered, that they were well ; and when cofl'ee was brought, before I went away, told me, that he knew perfedly well, from Ras el Feel, that, when I fet out from thence, I had difpofed, in various boxes and chefls, (which I pretended were inilruments) 2000 ounces of gold, befides variety of cloth of gold, and other valuable things for prefents ; and as all this was now in his power, he could not tliink me mad enough to refufe him 500 piaf- tres, which were only 50 of thefe ounces I carried with me ; that, if I gave them to him civilly, he would forward me to Sennaar in tv/o days ; if not, Fwas in his hands, and he could eafiiy take the whole by force, and after difpofe of me as he plea fed.
Well done ! out with it ! fard I ; this is but what I knew long to be in your heart. But let me fet you right ; 1 have
.3 A 2 not ^72 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
not three oiances of gold in all my pofTciTion. It is of no:. ufe to me in my country ; take all my cafes and boxes,., and fearch them ; the gold that you find there I freely give you, and without refcrve. As for the cloth of gold, \vi)ich I- have, it is a prefent from the king of Abyflinia to the king of Sennaar, to be delivered with his letter. I have likewife a prefent to Shekh Adelan, with a letter to him ; and fomc other trifles for Sennaar, prefents to people in governmci\t : look at them; if you think they are too great, apply to your own ufe what part of them you pleafe, and account with the king and Adelan for what you take from them, with vour reafon for fo doing. 7 he little money I may want at tjennaar, Hagi Belal, Metical Aga's fervant from. Mecca, will furnifh me with, and, upon my letter, will take payment for the amount from my countrymen on board the Eafl India; fliips at Jidda. As for force, do not deceive yourfelf ; if all, thofe cafes were gold it never would be in your power to open, oneof them. Do not think that I am a girl or a child ; con- fiderthe danger and difficulties I have paired,undcr God's pro- tedion only, and by my own force and courage : I am well armed, and have brave men about me, fo try your force when you pleafe. I dare fay you will keep yourfelf out of danger, to give an account of your brave exploit to the king of Sennaar afterwards." I then arofe, and faid, "Good evening." The Shekli called after me to ftay. I faid, " Ano- ther time ;" and immediately left him.
We had hitherto been fupplied plentifully with provi- fions from the Shckh's houfe once a-day. When I came home at night, I found that after Magrib, which is after fun-- jfet, a large (lore had been fent by the ladies from the Shekh's houfe, as acknowledgements for the attention I had
paid. THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 375
^id them; but no particular mcfTage, except than that they had been exceedingly well after their medicines, and hoped I would not abandon them, but fee them again. A Greek fervant of mine, who knew perfedly their culloras,- had anfwered, that I certainly would wait upon them when, the Shekh thould defu'C me fo to do.
The weather was extremely hot, and people, avoiding fun- fliine of the day, generally fat up the whole of the night, enjoying the only hours when it was poffible to breathe free- ly. It was about eleven o'clock at night, when the old Kaiya, whom I never faw but upon thefe occafions, came to me for coffee, of which he drank at leaft twenty difhes every vilit. He appeared at firil very moderate, and, as he pre- tended, a friend. But immediately afterwards, being fear- ed, and affuming a new kind of air and tone of voice, he reproved me roundly for my behaviour to the Shekh that day," He extolled him highly for his generofity, courage, and his great intereft at Sennaar from his father's merits, , and from his having married Shekh Adelan's daughter. He faid, it was the greateft prefumption, in a fet of infidels like us, to behave in the manner we had done toFidele that day. " Hagi Soli man, anfwered I, you are an old man ; if years have not given you wifdom, your journey to Mecca, and converfation with perfons of all nations there, fliould at leall have taught you an appearance of it, which, at this time, - you have not. I am here, immediately under the protec- tion of the fherriile of Mecca, the chief of your religion, an4 Metical Aga his miniller. I have letters from the king of Abyfllnia to your king of Sennaar, rcqueiling only, under the faith of nations, to pafs through y^our country in my way to Cairo, to rejoin Ali Bey, whofe phyfician I am, and;
isi.\ S74 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
in whofe hands at lead three thoufand fubjedls of Sennaar, and their efFeds, are at this moment. I fay to you now, as I did to your mafter in the morning, that he cannot either rob or murder me at Teavva without all your nation being refponfible for it, wherever they ihall go. But I am not a iheep, or a lamb, to be fpoiled of my goods, or robbed of my life, without defending myfelf to the utmofl ; and I tell you, for your proper inftru6tion, that there are probably now at Sennaar, people from the king of Abyffinia, com- plaining of my being detained here, and demanding ju- ■ilice.
He feemed to pay no attention to this threat. He did •not think it poffible that I could have had any communica- tion with Ras el Feel fmce I came to Teawa, but declared, that, as my particular friend, he had calmed the Shekh's wrath, and obliged him to promife, that, for 2000 piaftres, he would difpatch me in two days to Sennaar. Indeed, Hagi Soliman, faid I, I have not 20 piaftres in the world to give either him or you, nor would I give them if I had them. The Shekh may take all that I have by force, and is welcome to try the experiment. You, as his friend and fol- dier, may command the party, if you pleafe ; but I am re- -folved, were he willing, never to leave Teawa till I depart, under the condudl of another man than one of your or of Shekh Fidele's chufmg. Upon my faying this, he arofe, Ihook the bofom of his cloak, and faid, he was foiTy for it ; but he w allied his hands of all the confequences.
Immediately after this we fliut our tloors ; and our fire- arms being cleaned, loaded, and primed, v.-c relblved to a- foide the ifliic of this bad affair in the beft manner poffible, 4 and THE SOURCE OF THE NILE.
315^
and live o- die together. . One thing, however, diverted us :, One of cac >.:ge bluade'bulTes being accidentally laid acrofs the door, tiiis veteran foidier llarted back at the fight of it, and, although the muzzle was pointed far from him, would, not enter till the piece was removed, and placed at a confi- derable diftance from him.
As we faw thing^s were growing to a crilis, we became every hour more impatient for the arrival of relief, either from Ras el Feel or Sennaar. On the ift of April came a fer- vant from the Shekh of Beyla, and delivered a meflage to Fidele : What it was I know not ; but about noon he came to inquire after us, and pay us a vifit.
All this time Fidele had kept our arrival at Teawa a fe^ cret from the Shekh of Beyla; but the people, who frequent- ed the market of Teawa, having told their governor that they had feen ftrangers there, he all at once fufpefted the truth, and difpatched a confidential fervant to Fidele, under a fhew of bufinefs, to inquire whether we w^rethofe ftran- gers. An explanation immediately followed upon his co- ming to my houfe, and efpecially concerning the meffage the Shekh of Beyla had received from the Shekh. of Atbara^ that we were gone by Kuara down the Dendar. lie faid, that his matter either had Tent, or intended to fend, advice of this to my fervant at Sennaar, who, expecTiingus no long, er by Teawa, would neither come himfelf, nor fcek a king's, fervant to conduft us from hence, but would feek meafures for our fafety the other way, or wait at Sennaar, expecting our arrival daily; for the way from Kuara was through a number of outlawed, or banditti Arabs, fo that it was not in the power of the government of Sennaar, if ever fo well
inclined. 376 TRAVELS TO DISCOVE
inclined, to conduA us one Hep in fafety on that road till we fliould be within two days journey of Sennaar. The fervant therefore propofed, that he lliould return inftantly to Beyla, (as he did that night) and that his maflsr Ihould fend a meflenger on a dromedary exprefs to Sennaar, to in- form Hagi Belal of our fituation, and procure immediate re- lief. He promifed further, that his mailer fliould fend a MouUah, (or man of extraordinary holinefs and learning) in whofe prefence Shekh Fidele would not dare to proceed to extremities, as this was a man univerfally efteemed, and of great weight and reputation at Sennaar, both with Abou Calec and Adelan, as well as throughout Atbara.
I MUST here obviate a very reafonable objection which may be made by my reader: — " Why, when you knew your fafety depended upon the government of Sennaar, when you was arrived at Teawa, did you not take the firft oppor- tunity of notifying it to Fidele, that you had already fent to.acquaint your correfpondent at Sennaar that you had fct out for that place r" I anfwer. That to do this had been many times in agitation among us, but was always rejed;- ed. It was thought a dangerous meafure to leave a man like Fidele, the only perfon who had feen us, to give us any character and defcription he pleafed, who, from the con- neclion and correfpondence he muft have in that capital,, and the confidence necelTarily placed in him, as governor of a frontier province, might fo far prejudice the minds of .that credulous and brutal people, by mifreprefenting us, as either to get orders fo cut us off upon our journey, or pro- cure us a fate fimilar to that of M. du Roule, the French en- voy, after our arriving in that capital. It was by the good- nels of Providence alone that we were reftrained from 2 adopting THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 377
adopting that meafure, often confidcred as the moll advife- able, but which, we fince have certainly known, would have ended in our deftrudtion.
Nothing material pafled on the 3d of April, their fefti- val day ; but on the 4th no meat was fent us. However, on Sunday the 5th it was brought rather in larger propor- tion than before, and we fpent the whole day in conjec- turing what was become of our fervants, and of the Moul- lah whom the Shekh of Beyla's lervant had promifed us. On the 6th the Kaiya came, and, without ceremony, told me that the Shekh had heard I wanted to efcape to Beyla, in which journey I fliould certainly perifli, and therefore he had taken my horfe from me, which was in a liable at fome diftance. From this time we got our vicTiuals very fparingly. On the 7th he fent me word, that I lliould bring him a vomit the day after, which I promifed to com- ply with. It was very plainly feen Beyla's fecret was not kept, and to this we attributed the delay of the Moullah ; but nothing could comfort us for the want of an anfwer from Ras el Feel.
On the 8th, in the evening, a little before fix o'clock, when I was making ready to go to the Shekh, a melTage came, that he was bufy, and could not fee me ; with which, for a time, I was very well pleafed. About ten, arrived a naked, very ill- looking fellow, more like an execution- er than any other fort of man, with a large broad-fword in his hand, and feemingly very drunk, tie faid he was one of the Shekhs of Jehaina, and in a little time became extremely infolent. He liril demanded coffee, which was given him, then a new coat, then fome civet, and, lall of
Vol. IV. 3 B all, 378^ TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
all, drawing his fword, that we Ihould inllantly provide him with a new fcabbard, his own being but a piece of common leather, which he threw with a kind of indigna- tion down upon the floor. Till that time I had been wri- ting thefe very memoirs, at leaft the journal of the day. I was not any way afraid of one drunkard, but laid down, my pen, wondering where this infolence was to end. Before I had time to fpeak a word, I heard my old Turk, the flier- rifTe, Hagi Ifmael, fay, " You are of the Jehaina, are you ? then I am of the Daveina ;" and with that he caught the ftranger by the throat, taking his fword from him, which he threw out of the houfe, after calling the owner violently upon the floor. The fellow crept out upon all-four, and, as foon as he had picked up his fword, attempted again to en- ter the houfe, which Soliman perceiving, fnatched his own Ihort, crooked fword, from a pin where it hung, and ran readily to meet him, and would very fpeedily have made an end of him, had I not cried out, " For God's fake. Soli- man, don't hurt him ; remember where you are." Indeed, there was little reafon for the caution ; for when the Arab obferved a drawn fword in the Turk's hand, he prefent- ly ran away towards the town, crying, Ullah ! Ullah I Ullah ! which was, God ! God ! God ! an exclamation of ter- ror, and we faw no more of him ; whilft, inftead of a new fcabbard, he left his old one in the houfe. Seeing at once the cowardice and malice of our enemies, we were now apprehenfive of fire, things were come to fuch an extre- mity ; and as our houfe was compofcd of nothing but dry canes, it feemed the only obvious way of defti'oying us.
On the 9th, in the morning I fent Soliman with the fcabbard to Fidele, and a grievous complaint againft the
fuppofed THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 379
fappofed Shekh of the Jehaina for his infolence the night before. Shekh Fidele pretended to be utterly ignorant of the wholes made light of what had pafled, and faid the fel- low was a fool. But a violent altercation took place be- tween him and my fervant black Soliman, who then told him all his mind, threatening him with Yafme's immedi- ate vengeance, and afTuring him he was, before this, fully informed of his behaviour. They, however, both cooled be- fore parting. Fidele only recommended to Soliman to perfuade me to give him 2000 piaftres, without which he fwore I never fhould go alive out of Atbara. Soliman, on the other hand, declared, that I was a man that fet no value upon money, and therefore carried it not about with me, other- wife I fhould not refufe what he defired, but warned him to think well before he uttered fuch expreffions as he now liad done.
In the courfe of converfation, as Soliman told me, the Shekh gave him feveral hints, that, if he would agree with him, and help to rob and murder me, he fliould fliare the booty with him, and it never would be known. But So- liman pretended not to underftand this, always affuring him that I was not the man he took me for ; and that, except the king's prefent, all I had was brafs, iron, and glafs bot- tles, of no value to any but myfelf, who only knew how to ufe them. They then finiflied their difcourfe ; and he defired Soliman to tell me, that he expedled me at the ufual hour of 6 o'clock to-morrow evening, which was Friday the loth.
This fecmed to me to be an extraordinary appointment, '^becaufe Friday is their feflival, when they eat and drink
3B 2 heartily 38o TRAVELSTODISCOVER
heartily, nor did I ever remember any of them take medi- cine upon that day. But with Fidele all was feftival, not even their annual folemn fail of Ramadan did he ever keep, but was univerfally known to be an unbeliever, even in what was called his own religion. I had ftill this further objeftion to wait upon him at night, that he had gone fo far as to folicit Soliman to affift him in murdering me. But I confidered at laft, that we could not efcape from his hands ; and that the only way to avoid the danger was to brave it. Providence, indeed, feemed all along to have referved our deliverance for our own exertions, under its diretSlion, as all the ways we had taken to get relief from others had hitherto, in appearance at leaft, mifcarried. However, it was refolved to go armed, for fear of the worft ; but to conceal our v/eapons, fo as to give no umbrage. I had a fmall Bref- cian blunderbufs, about 22 inches in the barrel, which had a joint in the ftock, fo that it folded double. It hung by an iron hook to a thin belt under my left arm, clofe to my fide, quite unperceivcd, like a cutlafs. I likewife took a pair of piftols in my girdle, and my knife as ufual. All thefe were perfecTrly covered by my burnoofe ; fo that, with a little attention, when I fat down, it was impoffible to dif- eover my having any weapons about me.- Hagi Ifmael the Turk, Soliman my fervant, and two other Moorilh fer- vants, took alfo their fire arms, fmall and great, and fwords,. along with them. We all went to the houfe of th6 Shekh a little before feven o'clock in the evening. I entered the back door into the fquare where the women's houfe was ; but declined going fo far as their apartment without leave, turning to the left hand into the fide of the fquare where he ufually fvaid. I was furprifcd to meet but one fervant, a 2 black THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 381
black boy, in the whole houfe, and he carried me to the Shekh, my fervants remaining at the outer-door.
FiDELE was fitting in a fpacious room, in an alcove, on a large broad fofa like a bed, with India curtains gathered on each fide into feftoons. Upon feeing the boy, in a very fur- ly tone he called for a pipe ; and, in much the fame voice, faid to me, " What ! alone ?" I faid, " Yes, what were his commands with me ?" I faw he either was, or affecfted to be, drunk, and which ever was the cafe, I knew it would lead to mifchief ; I therefore repented heartily of having come into the houfe alone.
After he had taken two whiiFs of his pipe, and the flate had left the room, " Are you prepared ? fays he ; have you brought the needful -Aoxi^ with you ?" I wilhed to have occa- fion to join Soliman, and anfwered, "My fervants are at the outer door, and have the vomit you wanted." " D — n you and the vomit too, fays h^ with great paflion, I want money, and not poifon. Where are your piafi:res ?" " I am a bad perfon, l\iid I, Fidele, to furnifh you v/ith either. I have neither money nor poifon ; but I advife you to drink a little wariH water to clear your ftomach, cool your head, and then lie down and compofe yoiu-felf, I will fee you to- morrow morning." I was going out. " Hakim, fays he, infidel, or devil, or whatever is your name, hearken to what I fay. Confider where you are; this is the room where Mek Baady, a king, was flain by the hand of my father : look at his blood, where it has fiaiaed the floor, which never could be wafhed out. I am informed you have 20,000 piaf- ters in gold with you; either give me 2000 before you go out of this chamber, or you Ihall die; I will put you to death
with. 3^2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
with my own hand." Upon this he took up his fword, that was lying at the head of his fofa, and, drawing it with a bravado, threw the fcabbard into the middle of the room ; and, tucking the flecve of his fhirt above his elbow like a butcher, faid, " I wait your anfwer."
I NOW flept one pace backwards, and dropt the burnoofe behind me, holding the little blunderbufs in my hand, with- out taking it off the belt. I faid, in a firm tone of voice, " This is my anfwcr : I am not a man, as I have told you before, to die like a beail by the hand of a drunkard ; on your life, I charge you, ftir not from your fofa." I had no need to give this injundtion ; he heard the noife which the clofing the joint in the ftock of the blunderbufs made, and thought I had cocked it, and was inftantly to fire. He let his fword drop, and threw himfelfonhis back on the fofa, crying, " For God's fake, Hakim, I was but jelling." At the fame time, with all his might, he cried, *' Brahim f Maho- met ! Elcoom! El coom*i" — " If one of your fervants ap- proach me, faid I, that inllant I blow you to pieces ; not one of them lliall enter this room till they bring in my fer- vants with them ; I have a number of them armed at your gate, who will break in the inllant they hear me fire.
The women had come to the door. My fervants were admitted, «ach having a blunderbufs in his hand and piilols at his girdle. We were now greatly an overmatch for the Shekh, who fat far back on the fofa, and pretended that all he had done was in joke, in which his fervants
joined,
f £1 cooni, that 'u, all bis fervatits. joined, and a very confused, desultory discourse followed, till the Turk, sherriffe Ismael, happened to observe the Shekh's scabbard of his sword thrown upon the floor, on which he fell into a violent fit of laughter. He spoke very bad Arabic, mixed with Turkish, as I have often observed. He endeavoured to make the Shekh understand, that drunkards and cowards had more need of the scabbard than the sword; that he, Fidele, and the other drunkard that came to our house two or three nights before, who said he was Shekh of the Jehaina, were just possessed of the fame portion of courage and insolence.
As no good could be expected from this expostulation, I stopt it, and took my leave, desiring the Shekh to go to bed and compose himself, and not try any more of these experiments, which would certainly end in his shame, if not in his punishment. He made no answer, only wished us good night.
- ↑ The house where they keep their women,.