up the hill as to be out o f reach o f the horfe,and the reft
o f the infantry in the plain; BaihaHezekias was on the round
hill j uft behind the center, where the k in g had placed him-
felf, and Guebra Mafcal nearly where he flood before.
T h e army now made an appearance o f a large fedhofi o f
an amphitheatre. I obferved the k in g had pulled o ff the
diadem, or white fillet he wears for diftinition, and was
very intent upon renewing the engagement: the Begemder
troops were forming, with great alertnefs, about half a mile
below, being reinforced from time to time. The k in g ordered
his drums to beat, and his trumpets to found, to inform
the enemy he was ready; but they did not anfwef, or advance:
foon after (it being near three o’clock) the weather became
overcaft, and cold, on which the troops o f Begemder beat a retreat
; the king, very foon after, did the fame, and returned
to the camp without further moleftation; only that coming
near a rock which projected into the valley» (not far diftant
from the-camp) a multitude o f peafants belonging to Ma-
riam-Ohha, threw down a fhower o f ftones from their hands
and flings, which hurt feveral. The k in g ordered-them to
be fired at, though they were a great diftance off, and palled
o n : but Guebra Mafcal commanding about fifty men to
run briikly up the hill, on each fide o f the rock, gave them
two difcharges at a lefs diftance, which killed or wounded
many, and made the reft difappear in a moment.
I d o u b t that m y reader w ill be more than fufSciently
tired with the detail o f this fecond battle o f Serbraxos ; but,
as it was a very remarkable incident in my life, I could not
omit it as fa r as I faw it myfelf, and fupprefling any one part
o f it wouldhave involved the reft in a confufion, with w hich
3 I fear
I fear it may be ftill too juftly charged. I therefore lhall
only fay for connexion's fake, thatGulho and Guebra Chri-
ftos, in the center, were but partially engaged, and Kafmati
Tesfos o f Sire, fecond commander for the king, in that di-
vifion, wounded, and taken prifoner. Guebra Chriftos, the
k in g ’s uncle, was flain, (as it was believed) by a fliot of.his
own men; few other lives o f note were loft on either fide»
in that divifion. The kin g’s troops fell back under the hill
o f Serbraxos, where Michael was, and, though followed by
Guiho, were no further attacked by him. But on the right»
Billetana Gueta Tecla, and Welieta Michael, after a very ob-
ftinate and bloody engagement, were beaten by Kaimati
Ayabdar, and forced acrofs the river Mogetch, where, havin
g rallied and polled thenafelves ftrongly, it was not
thought proper to attempt to force them, and they all jo in ed
the camp foon after the king, but with very great lofs-
T h i s battle, though it was rather a vifto ry than a defeat»
had, however, upon the k in g ’s affairs, all the bad confe-
quences o f the latter, nor was there any thinking man who
had confidence in them from that day forward. Near
3000 men periihed on the k in g ’s -fide; a great proportion o f
whom was o f the left wing,, which he commanded; near
180 youn g men, o f the greatefl: hopes, and nobleft families
in the kingdom, were among that n um b e r; Guebra
Chriftos was in all' refpects a truly national lofs. Kefla Ya-
fbus was twice wounded, but not dangeroufly, befides a
multitude o f others o f the firft rank, among w hom was .Ay to
Engedan, who by proper care ibon recovered alfo, but in
the mean time was fent to Gondar, to his- coufin Ay to Corfu.
On our fide, too, a fon o f Lika Netcho, and a fon o fN e -
brit Tecla»were both flain.— Providence, feemed now to have
begun.