416 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
homewards acrofs the plain, as they apprehended, from fear of the approach of our party. He had, indeed, for fome days, been guilty of great irregularities ; had flain two men, and wounded the fon of Mahomet, the Shum, or chief of Alata, in attempting to take from him the revenue due from that territory to the king ; after which they had been beat back by Mahomet without their booty, and nothing more was known of them.
This brought us to Negade Ras Mahomet's houfe, who killed a cow for Netcho, or rather allowed him to kill one for himfelf ; for it is equal to a renunciation of Chriftianity to eat meat when the beaft is flaughtered by a Mahometan. Sn ates, who from his infancy, in his own country, had fared on nothing elfe, was not fo fcrupulous, though he conceal- ed it ; he therefore had a very hearty fupper privately with Negade Ras Mahomet and his family, who very willingly promifed to get his new cloaths ready by the next morn- ing.
As I was myfelf, however, full of thoughts upon the dif- ficulties and dangers I was already engaged in, and of the profpecl: of ftill greater before me, I had no ftomach for either of their fuppers, but ordered fome coffee, and went to bed. After I lay down I defired Negade Ras Mahomet to come to me, and, when we were alone, I interrogated him if he knew any thing of the rebellion in Begemder. At firft he declared he did not ; he laughed at the no- tion of Guebra Mehedin and Confu being Fit-Auraris to Gufho and PowufTen, and faid, that either of thefe generals would hang them the firft time they came into their hands. ■He told me, however, that Woodage Afaliel had been affem- 3 blin g
