Fidele seemed to have a very serene countenance, till we approached nearer, when, seeing the pistols in our girdles, he appeared rather discomposed, and probably he thought the blunderbuss was not far off; I made him, however, a bow, and shook him by the hand; I likewise made another bow to their two holinesses. As people of that sanctity seldom chuse to have, even their cloaths, touched by unbelievers in public, I made no further advance towards them. The sherriffe no sooner saw Ismael's turban, than he got up, took him in his arms, and, as he was an older man than himself, though all in rags, kissed his forehead with great respect. This was returned by Hagi Ismael, first kissing his forehead and then his hand; after which the Moullah did the same, as I thought with rather less ceremony. Ismael gave a very slight salutation of _Salama_ to the Shekh, and we all sat down. "Brother, says the sherriffe to Ismael, you seem a stranger in this country." "I am a Turk, answered Ismael, born in Anatolia, a janizary of Ali Bey at Cairo." "He came, says Shekh Fidele, to Habesh, with their Kafr, the Abuna or great priest, and is returning to Cairo with that white man, who is physician to Ali Bey." "Kafr there, or Kafr here, continued Ismael (who did but half underhand what was said) the greatest of all Kafrs (that is Infidel) is, I believe, in Teawa. I do not think there is one Mussulman in this cursed place." "Is this the Frank, says the Moullah, whose servant brought letters to the Shekh of Beyla some weeks ago, and was forwarded to Sennaar?" "No, says Fidele, he does not know the Shekh of Beyla." "I am sure, says the Moullah, that, such a day, when I was at Sennaar, there was a talk of a man of this kind, whose servant was at Aira with Shekh Adelan, and had orders to come hither with a servant of his, and one from the king; and I am sure, upon reflection, continued the Moullah, this must be the man." "Shekh, says he, turning to me, (who sat silent, overjoyed at the train I saw the affair taking) did you come from Habesh? have you letters for Sennaar?" "I came from Habesh, replied I, with letters to the king of Sennaar; likewise letters to him from the sherriffe of Mecca, and from Ali Bey of Cairo, (you are welcome to see them all,) yet, contrary to faith, observed even in Pagan nations, I am here detained by Shekh Fidele, who last night attempted to murder me in his own house, because I would not pay him 2000 piastres." Shekh Fidele's face turned pale; he could scarcely utter, "That is not true." "As that book is the word of God, says Ismael, (pointing to the Koran, lying in the sherriffe's lap) it is every word true. Look upon my turban, (says he to Fidele) do you call me a liar?" _Fid._ "I did not call you a liar, only that Christian lied." _Ism._ "I say, that every word he spoke is truth, or I am no true believer. Was not your sword drawn, and your scabbard lying on the floor, when I entered the