• T"'ED
C H A P . i x .
Interview with Gujho in bis ’Tent— Converfation andihterejlmg Intelligence
there— Return to the Camp— King's Army returns, to Gendar—
Great Cmfufion in that Night's Marche
ON the 25th o f May, early in the morning, I went to'
Guiho. When I arrived near his tent I difmounted
my mule, and, as the k in g had commanded me, bared mv-
fe lf to below the breads, the fign o f being bearer o f the
- k in g ’s orders. Four men were now fent from the tent,
who, two and two, fupported each arm, and introduced me
in this date immediately to Guiho. He was fitting on a kin d
o f bed, covered with fcarlet cloth, and edged with, a deep
gold fringe. As foon as I came near him, I began, “ Hear
what the k in g fays to you.” In a moment he rofe, and,,
dripping himfelf bare to the waid, he bowed with his
forehead on the fcarlef cloth, but did not, as was his duty,,
ftaxid on the ground, and touch i t w ith his forehead, tho’
there
there was a good ~Perfian carpet, as pride and newly-acquired
independence had releafed him from thofe forms,
in the obfervance o f which he had been brought up from
his childhood.
O n feeing him attentive, I continued, “ The k in g fends
y o u word by me^ and I declare to you from my own iltill as
a phyfician, that the fever now amongft you will-fopn become
mortal; as the .rains increafe, you w ill d ie ; confe-
quently, being out o f your, allegiance, God oply knows
what will happen to you afterwards.. The kin g therefore:
wifhes you to preferve your health, by, going home to Am.
hara, taking Powuflen, and all the reft along with you who;
are ill likewife, and the foaneryhe better, as he heartily
wifhes to be rid o f you all at once, without your leaving any
o f your friends behind you.” It was with difficulty I kept
m y gravity in the courfe o f my harangue ; it did not feem
to be lefs fo on his part, as at the end he broke out in a.
great fit o f laughter. J| Aye, Aye, Yagoube, fays he, I fee
y o u are ftill the old pian ; but tell the k in g from me, that i f
I were to do what ypu juft now defire o f me, it was then I
ihould be afraid to die, it was then I fhould be out o f m y
d u ty ; affure the king, continued Gufho, I will do him better
fervice. Were I to gp home andleave Michael.with him,,
I, who am no phyfician, declare, the Ras would prove in the
end a much more dangerous difeafe to him, than all the fe.--
vers in Demfeea.”
I t h e n introduced his relation,Tecla Mariam, who flood,
with the people b ehind; and, as he had on his monk’s drefs,
Guiho at firft did not know him. He had been well-informed,
however, o f his having favpd the k in g , and of. the blow
that he had received from him. He faid every thing in
» commendatioih