tal and mbit unreasonable effect o f fear in thefe. troops, who
have not the knowledge or praftice o f fire-arms, and are a-
bout to charge, for as foon as they hear this noife o f planting
the flicks, (which is fomewhat louder than that o f our men
cocking their mufquets) they halt immediately, and g ive the
faireft opportunity to their enemies to take a im; and, after
thus fuffering from a well-diredted fire, they fall into confu-
fion, and run, leaving the m ufquetry time to re-charge. This
is as i f they voluntarily devoted themfelves to deflruciion;
fo r if, either upon hearing the noife o f fetting the flicks
in the ground, or before or after they have received the
fire, the horfe were to charge thefe mufqueteers, having no
bayonets, at the gallop, they mull be cut to pieces every
time they were attacked by cavalry ; the contrary o f which
is always the cafe.
W o o d a g e A s a h e l had now advanced within about thirty
yards o f the mufquetry that were expecting him, when
un luck ily the hill became more fteep, and Ayto Tesfos (for
fome reafon not then known) ceafed firing. The k in g was
now clofe to the very brow o f the hill, nor 'could any one
perfuade him to keep at a greater diftance. I was not far
from him, and had no fort o f doubt but that 1 lhould pre-
fently fee the whole body o f the enemy deftroyed by the
.fire awaiting them, and blown into the air. Wctpdage Afa-
hel was very confpicuous by a red fillet, or bandage, wrapt
about his head, the two ends hanging over his ears, whilft
he was waving with his hands for the troops below to follow
brifkly, and fupport thofe near him, who were impeded
by the roughnefs and m olly quality o f the ground. At
this inftant the k in g ’s- troops fired, and I expedted to fee the
enemy ftrewed dead along the face o f the hill. Indeed we
3 faw
faw them fpeedily difappear, but like living men, riding
and running down the declivity fo as even to excite
laughter. Woodage Afahel, with two men only,
bravely gained the' top o f the mountain, and, as he
palfed the k in g ’s tent, pulled off his red fillet, makin g a fign
as o f faluting i t , . and then galloped, through the middle o f
the camp. He was now defcending unhurt upon the left,
where Abou Barea had been engaged and beaten, when
Sebaftos, a Greek, the k in g ’s cook, feventy-five years of age,
o f whom I have, already fpoken in the campaign o f Maitfha,
lying behind a ftone, with his gun in his hand, feeing
the troops engage below, fired at him as he palled t
the ball took place in the left-fide o f his belly. He was
feen Hooping forward upon the tore o f his faddle, with fome
men fupporting him on each fide, in his way to. his tent
where he died in the evening, having, by his behaviour that
day, deferved a better fate. Sebaftos reported this feat o f
bis to the king, but it was not believed, till a confirmation
o f the fa ft came in the evening, when Sebaftos was cloathed,
and received a reward from the king.
T e s f o s had been obferved not to fire fince Woodage Afahel
gained the fteep part o f the bill, and it was thought it
was from fear o f galling his friends; but it was foon known
to be owing to anooher'caufe, Kefla Yafous had ordered two
o f his nephews to take a body o f troops, with lances and
ihields only, and thefe were to go round the Ras’s tent, and
down the fide o f the hill, till they were even with Tesfos
behind the fcreen where he lay. Thefe. two young men,
proud o f the foie command which they had then received
for the firft time, executed it with great alacrity:; and tho-
they were ordered by their uncle to watch the time when
1 -Vpi" C c ' Tesf
o j