to the inhabitants o f Gondar, That any arms found in any
houfe in that town, after noon o f the day o f proclamation,
ihould fubjeft the owner o f fuch houfe and arms to
death, and the houfe, or houles, to he razed to their foundation.
T he firft o f the Tigré troops who fet this example was
Guebra Mafcal ; he- carried down to the place appointed,
and furrendered, about 6000 mufquets, belonging to the
Ras and his family.; all the reft o f the principal officers
followed, for the inhabitants o f Gondar w ere willing inquisitors,
lo that the whole arms were delivered before the
hour-appointed, and locked up in the church o f Ledeta, unde
r a ftrong guard both without and within the church. The
T ig r e Soldiers, after furrendering-their arms, were not fuf-
fered to depart, but a fpace was affigned between GUffio’s
tent-and the town, where they were difpofed that night,
and centinels placed upon them, that they might not d i t
perfe. This indeed was needlefs ; for they were every day
furrounded with troops and enemies, fo that a ll their wealth
remained with their landlords in Gondar, which home they
-were not fuffered again to enter, a meafure which greatly
added to Guiho’s popularity in the town. A great number
.of flour lacks were brought down to Guiho’s camp, and
many mules, loaded therewith, were delivered to the difarmed
army, fufficient to carry them b y fpeedy marches
-to their own country, for which they had orders to fet out
the next morning.
K e e l a Y a s ;o u s alone, with about 400 men, had ihut
" h im f e l f Up in the church o f Debra Berhan, where there
was water, and h e had carried in fufficient provifions for
/ feveral
feveral days. He refufed therefore to furrender upon the
general fummons ; on w hich Powufien, who was encamped
immediately below him, fent an officer to require him to
fubmit, which he not only peremptorily refufed, but told
the officer, that, unlefs he inftantly retired, he would give
orders to fire upon him, as he had a treaty with Gufho, and,
till that was ratified by Gufho himfelf, he would not furrender,
nor fuffer any other perfon to approach his poft; at any
rate, that he did not intend to furrender to a man o f Powufi-
fen’s low birth, however high his prefent poft had raifed
him, which he no longer acknowledged, being the mere
g ift o f Michael, one complaint againft whom was that o f
levelling and confounding the nobility with their inferiors.
G usho accordingly fent an officer, a man o f great cha-
raiter, and a relation o f the king, with a confirmation o f
-his promife • whereupon Kefla Yafous furrendered, and
fent down his foldiers, with what arms he pleafed, to Gu-
fho’s cainp, Carrying the reft privately t-o his own houfe, to
which he retired that very evening.. Kefla Yafous was
much beloved by the inhabitants o f Gondar, though a Tigran,,
and perhaps in neither party was there a man fo uni-
verfally efteemed. He had done the townfmen often great
ferviee, having always flood between Michael and them in
thofe moments o f wrath and vengeance when no one elfe
dared to fpe ak; and, in particular, he had faved the town
from burning that morning the Ras had retired with the
k in g to Tigre, when warned, as he faid. by an apparition o f
Michael the archangel, or more probably o f the devil, to put
the inhabitants o f Goftdar to the fword, and fet the city on
fire ; a meafure that was fupported by Nebrit Tecla, and
V o t .iV . ' G g feveral