Tokrooris, who occasionally burst into renewed fits
•of laughter during the operation | the mule was
caught, and the minstrel remounted, and returned
home completely out of tune.
On the following morning, at sunrise, I mounted
my horse, and, accompanied by Taher Noor and Ba-
cheet, I rode to pay. my respects to Mek Nimmur.
Our route lay parallel to the stream, and, after a
ride of about two miles through a fine, park-like
country, bounded by the Abyssinian Alps about fifteen
miles distant, I observed a crowd of people
around a large tamarind tree, near which were
standing a number of horses, mules, and dromedaries.
This was the spot upon which I was to
meet Mek Nimmur. Upon my approach, the crowd
opened, and, having dismounted, I was introduced
by Taher Noor to the great chief. He was a man
of about fifty, and exceedingly dirty in appearance.
He sat upon an angarep, surrounded by his people;
lying on either side upon his seat were two brace
of pistols, and within a few yards stood his horse
ready saddled. He was prepared for fight or flight,
as were also his ruffianly-looking followers, who were
composed of Abyssinians and flaleens.
I commenced the conversation by referring to the
hospitality shown by his father to my countryman,
Mr. Mansfield Parkyns, and I assured him that such
kind attentions were never forgotten by an Englishman,
therefore I had determined to visit him, although
the Egyptian authorities had cautioned me not to
trust myself within his territory. I explained that
I was bound towards an unknown point, in search of
the sources of the White Nile, which might occupy
some years, but that I wished to perfect the exploration
by the examination of all the Abyssinian Nile
affluents; and I concluded by asking for his assistance
in my journey to the Bahr Angrab and the Salaam.
He replied very politely, and gave me much local
information.; he said that the Egyptians gave him no
peace, that he was obliged to fight in self-defence ; but
that, if I could make overtures on his part to the
Egyptian authorities, he would engage never to
cross the Atbara, provided they observed a similar
condition. I promised to represent his offer to the
Governor-General on my arrival at Khartoum. He
agreed to give me a guide to the rivers Angrab and
Salaam, that were not far distant, and he at once
pointed out to me the two dark gorges, about twelve
and sixteen miles distant, in the chain of precipitous
mountains from which they flowed. He described
the country upon the other side of the mountains to
be the elevated plateau of Abyssinia, and he advised
me to visit the king before my departure from his
territory; this I could not conveniently accomplish,
as my route lay in an opposite direction. He begged
me for a telescope, so that he should be able to see
the approach of the Turks (Egyptians) from a great
distance, as he explained that he had spies upon all
the mountain tops, so that no stranger could enter his
country without his knowledge. He confessed that