to return without lofs o f time, and before the enemy knew
• the.calamity that had befallen them.
A y to .Tesfos now became a little more humble, retreated
to the fouth end o f the long hill, till being joined, next day
the 23d, by his neighbours, Samuel Mammo o fT z e g ad é ,
and Heraclius o f Walkayt, who had a very large force,
'he again removed nearer us, about h a lf a mile farther
than his firft pofition, and extended his camp quite acrofs
the valley,'from the foot o f the hill to the river Mariam,
keeping his head-quarters on the top o f the long, even hill,
fo often mentioned. Mammo and Heraclius had palled by
Gondar, and, being much fuperior in number, had taken
Sanuda, Ayto Conra, and Ayto Engedan prifoners, and,
though the two laft were wounded, carried them to Guiho’s
camp. v
I n e e d not trouble the reader with the attention fhew«d
me upon my accident ; a ll that was great and noble at court,
from the k in g downwards, feemed to be as fenlible o f it as
i f it had happened to one o f their own family ; the Ras
Very particularly fo; and I muft own, above all, Guebra Maf-
eal fhewed himfelf a fincere convert, by a concern and
friendihip that had every mark o f fincerity. Ozoro Either
was feveral times the next day at my tent-, and with her
the beautiful Tecla Mariam, whofe fympathy and kindnefs
would more than have compenfated a greater misfortune ;
for, faving that it had occafioned an inflammation in my
eyes, the hurt was o f the flighted: kind.
M any people came to-day.from the fëvéral camps with
propofals o f peace, which ended in nothing, though it was
( 1 " ■ vifible
vifible enough to every one that a treaty o f fome kind was
-not only on foot,-but already far advanced. In the evening
a party o f 400 foot and 30 horfe, which went to Dembea
to forage for the king, was furprifed 'by Coque Abou Barea,
and cut to pieces ; after which that general encamped with
Gufho, and brought with him about 3000 men.
P r o v i s i o n s were now become fcarce in the camp, and
there was a profpeit that they would be every day fcarcer •
and, what was ftill worfe, Deg-Ohha, which long had flood
in pools, w a i now almoft dry, and, from the frequent ufe
made o f it by the number o f beafts, began to have both an
ofienfive fmell and tafte; whilft, every time we attempted
to w ater at the Mariam river, a battle was to be fought with
Tesfos’s horfe in the valley. On the other hand, an epidemical
fever raged in the rebels'camp on the plain, efpecial-
ly in that o f Gufho and Ayabdar. The rain, moreover, was
now coming on daily, and fomething decifive became ne-
ceflary for all parties.
On the 24th, in the morning, a meflage arrived fiicm Gu-
fho: to the king, defiring I might have liberty to come and
bring medicines with me, for his whole family were ill
o f the fever. The k in g anfwered, that I had been wounded
in the head, and was i l l ; nor did he believe I could be
able to come; but, i f I was, he ihould fend me in the morning..
A l i t t l e before noon the drums in the plain beat to
arms. Heraclius, Mammo, and Tesfos on the fide o f the
valley, Coque Abou Barea and Afahel Woodagc on the fide
o f the plain, with frefh troops, had obtained leave from
Gufho