gun before you came from home to-day to follow us. Why, if you was to shoot, you would be left alone in our hands, as all your fellows on the other side would run at the noise even of your own gun.
"Friends, said I, you understand one another's grievances better than I do. My only business here is to get to Lamalmon as soon as possible. Now, pray, Shum, tell me what is your business with me? and why have you followed me beyond your government, which is bounded by that river?"—He said, "That I had stolen away privately, without paying custom."—"I am no merchant, replied I; I am the king's guest, and pay no custom; but as far as a piece of red Surat cotton cloth will content you, I will give it you, and we shall part friends."—He then answered, "That two ounces of gold were what my dues had been rated at, and would either have that, or he would follow me to Debra Toon."—"Bind him and carry him to Debra Toon, says the Siré servant, or I shall go and bring the Shum of Debra Toon to do it. By the head of Michael, Shum, it shall not be long before I take you out of your bed for this."
I now gave orders to my people to load the mules. At hearing this, the Shum made a signal for his company to cross; but Yasine, who was opposite to them, again ordered them to stop. "Shum, said I, you intend to follow us, apparently with a design to do us some harm. Now we are going to Debra Toon, and you are going thither. If you chuse to go with us, you may in all honour and safety; but your servants shall not be allowed to join you, nor you join them; and if they but attempt to do us harm, we will for certain revenge ourselves on you. There is a pieceof
