One morning he came to me, after having been with
the king, when I was myfelf preparing to go to the palace.
He faid, he had been fent for upon my account, and had
been queftioned very narrowly what fort o f a man I was.
Having anfwered very favourably, both o f me and my nation,
he was alked for Metical Aga’s letters, or any other
letters he had received concerning me from Jidda; he faid,
that he had only ihewn Metical’s letter, wrote in the name
o f the iherriffe, as alfo one from h im fe lf; that there were fe-
veral great officers o f government prefentj and the Cadi
(whom I had feen the firft time I had been with the king)
had read the letters aloud to them a ll: That one o f them
had alked, How it came that fuch a man as I ventured to
pafs thefe deferts, with four or five old fervants, and what
it was I came to fee ; that he anfwered, he apprehended
m y chie f objeift at Sennaar was to be forwarded to my own
eountry. It was alfo alked, Wh y I had not feme Englilh-
men with me, as none o f my fervants were o f that nation,
blit poor b eggarly Kopts, Arabs, and Turks, who were none
o f them o f my religion ? Belal anfwered, That travellers
through thefe countries mull take up with fuch people as
they can find goin g the- fame w a y ; however, he believed
fome Englilh fervants had died in Abyffinia, which country
I had left the firft opportunity that had offered, being
wearied by the perpetual war which prevailed. Upon which
the k in g faid, He has ehofen well,, when he came into
this country for peace. You know, Hagi Belal, le a n do
nothing fo r him ; there is nothing in my hands, d I .could
eafier get him back into Abyffinia than forward him into
Egypt. Who is it now that can pafs into Egypt ?” The Cadi
then faid, “ Hagi Belal can get him to Suakem, and fo to
Jidda
Jidda to his countrymen.” To which Belal replied, “ The
k in g w ill find fome way when he thinks farther o f it.”
A f e w days after this I had a melTage from the palace.
I found the k in g fitting alone, apparently much chagrined,
and in ill-humour. He alked me, in a very peevifli manner;
“ I f I was not yet gone ?” To which I anfwered, “ Your
Majefty knows that it is impoffible for me to go a ftep from
Sennaar without affiftance from you.” He again alked me,
in the fame tone as before, “ How I could think o f coming
that way ?” I faid, nobody imagined in Abyffinia but that
he'was able to give a ftranger fafe conduit through his own
dominions.” He made no reply, but nodded a fign for me
to depart, which I immediately did, and fo finifhed this Ihort,
but difagreeable interview.
A b o u t four o’clock that fame afternoon I was again fent
for to the palace, when the k in g told me that feveral o f
his wives were ill, and defired that I would give them my
advice, w hich I promifed to do without difficulty, as all
acquaintance with the fair fex had hitherto be.en much to
my advantage.- I muft confefs, however, that calling thefe
the fair fex is not preferving a precifion in terms. I was
admitted into a large fquare apartment very ill-lighted, in
which were about fifty women, all pcrfeftly black, without
any covering but a very narrow piece o f cotton rag about
their waifts. While I was mufing w hether or not thefe all
might be queens, or whether there was any queen among
them, one o f them took me by the hand and led me rudely
enough into another apartment. This was much better
lighted than the firft. Upon a large bench, or fofa, covered
1 with