low in g day. I refolved to remain at Kofcam in the houfe
the Iteghe had given me, as it was eafy to fee things were
drawing to a crifis, which would inevitably end in blood.
It was not till the 23d o f November I firft faw the Iteghd.
She fent for m e early in the m orning, and had a large break-
foft prepared: Ayto Confu and Ayto Engedan were there; Are
looked very much worn out and indifpofed. When I came
firft into her prefence, I kneeled, with my forehead to the
ground. She put on a very ferious countenance, and, without
defiring me to rife; faid gravely to her people about her,
“ There, fays fire, fee that madman, who in times like thefe,
when w e the natives o f the country are not fafe in pu r own
boufes raihly, againft all advice, runs out into the fields to
he hunted like a wild beaft by every robber, o f which this
country is full.”
S he then made me a fign to rife, which I did, and kiffed
her hand. « Madam, faid I, i f I did this, it was in confequence
o f the good leffons your majefty deigned to give me.”— “ Me!
fays fire, with furprife, was i t I that advifed you, at fuch a
rime as this; to put yourfelf in the way o f men like Coque
Abou Barea, and Woodage Afahel, to be ill-ufed, robbed, and
probably murdered i”— “ No, faid I, Madam, you certainly
never did give me fuch advice ; but you muft own that
every day I have heard you fay, when you was threatened
b y a multitude o f powerful enemies,-that you was not
afraid, you was in God's hands, and not in theirs. Now,
, Madam, Providence has hitherto proteAed you : I have, in
humble imitation o f you, had the fame Chriftian confidence,
and I have fucceeded. I knew I was in God’s hands, and
therefore valued not the bad intentions o f all the robbers
t • I *
m Abyifinia.”— “ Madam, fays Ayto Confu, is not Guefgud
yours ? does it pay you any thing ?”
i - “ It Was mine, fays the queen, while any thing was mine;
but Michael; took it and gave it to poque Abou Barea, and
fince, k has paid me nothing. Fafil has fent for him about
the affair o f Yagoube, as he fays, and has ordered him to
come in the fame manner that he himfelf is come in pri-
.vate;' but forbid him .to bring his ;army with him, ia-order
that 110 means o f relief may be poflible to this devoted
country.” Large tears flowed down her venerable face at
faying thefe words, and fhewed the deep-rooted fear in her
heart, that Michael's coming Was decreed without poiiibility
o f prevention. I wonder,fays A yto Engpdan, laughing, to
divert her, i f Coque Abou Barea is the fame good Chriftian
that you and Yagoube are,; i f he is: not,: nothing elfe w ill
fave him from the hands Of Gonfu and m e ; for we both
w an t horfes. and mules for our men, ,and he lias good ones,
and arms tod, that belonged to my father.”**-“ And both o f
■you, fays the queen; are as:bad men as either Woodage A-
fahel or Coque Abou Barea.” At this moment the arrival o f
Fafil was announced, and we were all turned out, and w ent
to breakfaft. I paw him afterwards goin g out o f the palace.
He faluted me ilightly, and feemed much pre-occu*
pied in mind. He only defired me to come to Gondar next
morning, and h e would fp e a k to me about Coque Abou Ba-
rea-; but this the Iteglferref.nied to permit me to do, fo I
remained at Kofcam,-
F a s i l , although he did not deny that he had made peace
withRas Michael, yetf to quiet the minds o f the people, always
folemhly protefted, that, fo far from co'ming to Gondar,
V ol. IV. . F he