tenance or language, and in very few w ords: “ Tell Kaf-
mati Fafil from me, that what I am obliged to do by the
rules o f juftice, is not to be meafured either by his inclination
o r power to do wrong. Men have crucified their Saviour
; and many kings in this country (better men than I
am) have been, in various manners, flain by their deluded
fubjeils. The race o f Solomon, however, God has preferred
till this day on the throne, where I am now fitting, while
nothing but the memory o f thofe who opprefled them remains
loaded with the curfes o f mankind. I am k in g o f
this country, and have often been acknowledged as fiich
by Kafmati Fafil. I w ill not give up Guiho, but at my own
time, i f e v e r ; nor can he infill upon if, confiftently with
the duty o f a -fubjeit to his fovereign.” Noble words thefe,
had he been at the head erf an army to enforce them-
T his mefiage was quick ly conveyed to Fafil, w ho was' advanced
to Azazo, where it met him, and he continued his
march without halting till he came to Abba Samuel, about
two miles from GondaT. It was on the 13th o f November
that his army made a Ihew o f encamping at Abba Samuel,
for there was not above fix tents pitched, and next day, the
14th, b y eight in the morning, a drum and trumpet, guarded
by about a hundred horfe, came immediately under
the town to the hanks o f the river Kahha, where the trumpet
having founded three times, and the kettle-drum beat
as often, it was proclaimed, That all manner o f perfons, o f
what degree foever, whether feryants o f the palace, or others,
fliould inftantly leave Gondar as they regarded their lives;
and i f any ftaid after this warning, their blood fhould be upon
their own head. The w hole town, therefore, in an inftant
was deferted, and very few, even o f his own fervants,remained
with
with the king. I had already once partaken o f a fimilar fcene,
and found it o f the moll difagreeable k in d ; Providence fpa-
red me, however, this repetition o f it, as I was at Kofcam, and
determined to be retired there fo perfectly, that I did not ftir
out o f my apartment till night, when the gates were locked,
and the guards placed.
On the 15th,. the k in g releafed Ras Guiho from his confinement,
who immediately went to the camp to Fafil ; and
next day, at night, he returned, and had an audience at the
palace with the king, and again retired to deep at Abba Samuel.
On the 17th, a little before noon, Fafil, came to the
palace for an audience, but firft took pofieffion o f every avenue
leading to it; a flron g gu a rd was alfo placed in the antichamber,
and the charge o f the door o f the k in g ’s prefence-
chamber was taken from the k in g ’s ordinary black fervants,
and given to C onfa Adam, who mounted guard there with
about twenty wild G alla. What further palled I did not ftr iilly
inquire, b eing exceedingly diilrefled, by the bad profpeil
that prefented itfelf, and firmly refolved to take no further
part. In general, however, I underftood, that all was humiliation
; and Fafil having announced to the k in g that he had
given his daughter to Guiho in marriage, to him the k in g
gave Gojam, and reftored the province Of Amhara. Aclog
was condemned to find fecurity for 1200 ounces o f gold,
which was faid to be the fum Guiho had with him when
taken.
T he k in g was to reftore to the Iteghe the whole o f her villages
that £he had ever enjoyed, from the time o f Bacufla,
her huiband, to that prefent moment. To Fafil, were given
Damot, Maitiha,and Agow, and to Confu Adam, Ibaba Aza-
, Se>