C HA P . I II.
th e Author joins the Army, at Mariam-Ohha— Reception there— Un?
verfal Terror on the Approach o f the Army—Several great Men o f
the Rebels apprehended and executed.— Great Hardnefs o f the King's
Heart,
HAVING ftill fome doubt about the propriety o f going
to Mariam-Ohha, till the king had taken poft there,
I appointed with Ay to Confu to naeet him next morning,
the 2 2d, in the plain below the church o f Abbo, where is
the pafs called Semma Confu, the dangerous path, from
its being always a place where banditti refort to rob paf-
fengers in unfettled times.
In my way through the town, though the day had
fcarce dawned, numbers o f the king’s fervants, that had
come from Tigré, flocked about me with great demonftra-
tions of joy ; and, by the time I got into the plain below
Abbo, I had already colleéted a ftrong party both of horfe
4 and
and foot. This was not my intention; I had fet out unarmed,
attended only b y two Abyflinian fervants on horfe-
back, but without lance or fhield, and in this manner I intended
to prefent myfelf to the k in g as one o f the fuite o f
Ayto Confu t but- all my endeavours were in .vain ; and I
faw that, making the beft o f my way, and profiting o f the
early time o f the morning, was the only method left to a-
void increafing m y retinue; I muft own the good difpofition
o f thefe people to me, and the degree o f favour they .reported
me to be in, and, above all, Ozoro Efther’s affurances
had given me great comfort ; for feveral people o f no authority,
indeed, had prophefied that Ras Michael would be
much offended at my having thrown a carpet over the
body o f Joas, and at m y not having gone to Tigré with,
him;
I p a s s e d the three heaps o f itones under which lie th e
three monks who were Honed to death in the time o f David
IV. ; and at the bottom o f the h ill whereon ftands the
church o f Abbo, 1 was met by Yafine, and about 20 horfe-
men, havin gori theircoats o f mail, their helmets upon their
heads, and their viziers d ow n ; their pikes perpendicular,
with their points in the air, fo that hy one motion more*
placing them horizontally in their, refis; they were prepared
to charge at a: word: Talked Yafine what was the
meaning o f his being in that equipage in fuch hot weather,
when there was net enemy ? He replied; It was given h im
in. orders-from Ayto-Gonfudaft night ;■ and that, with regard:
to an enemy, there was one that had feized the pafs o f Semma
Confu, and obftinately reftifed to let us through, un-
fefs we forced them. Sure, faid I, Ayto Confu knows, that
heavy armed-men on horfebackare not fit to force paffep
throu gh