THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 523
this time ; the Ras has work enough on his hands for the reft of his life." "What work ? faid I." "Why, the mountain," re- plies he." "The mountain Aromata!" "The fame, fays he; you never faw fuch a place; Lamalmon, and all the mountains of Abyffmia, are nothing to it : he was, when at the prime of life, fifteen years in taking it from this Netcho's father." " But he has been luckier this time, replied I, by fourteen years." " How!" fays he, with fome amafement." " Pardon me, faid I, if I have unawares told you unwelcome news ; but the moun- tain is taken, the garrifon put to the fword, and Za Menfus, after furrendering, flain, in cold blood by Guebra Mafcal, in revenge for the death of his father." Fafd had in his hand a blue cut-glafs goblet, gilt round the edges with gold. I had bought it at Cairo, with feveral other articles of the fame kind, from a merchant who procured them from Triefte. I had given it to the king, who drank out of it himfelf, and had fent it as an honourable token to Fafil from Dingleber, the day when they made peace, after the battle of Limjour. Upon hearing what I laid, he threw it violently upon the ground, and broke it into a thoufand ■pieces. " Take care what you fay, Yagoube, fays he, take care .this be not a lie ; tell it me again." I told him the whole cir- cumftances from beginning to end ; how the news had come .to the iteghe— who had brought the intelligence — how it had .come from the Ras to Ozoro Either — and how Kefla Yafous had furprifed the mountain by treachery, having full lulled -the befieged afleep by a negociation, and a propofed media- tion of the priefts and hermits. GnthisFafilobferved,itwas the very way Michael took it lad time ; and, putting his forefinger in his mouth, bit it very hard, crying, Fool, fool, was he not warned? We all were again dilraiiied from the tent, and ilaid
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