rally in enterprises, and g rowin g every day more and more
into reputation.
It is impoflible fo much as to guefs at the number o f the
enemy, they were always very numerous, but conftantly
changing. It was faid, that Begemder and Lafta had at one
time 30,000 horfemen ; I ihould believe this number greatly
exaggerated, from what I heard afterwards ; and that the
whole cavalry in their army did not exceed what it was at the
battle o f Serbraxos. I fuppofe indeed, that, together with their
foot, they did not much exceed that number, tho’ they were
at times magnified to 50 and 60,000, moil o f them very bad
•troops, continually deferting, excepting about 4000 men belong
ing to Guiho, from Amhara, who likewife brought
about 100 match-locks, and befides thefe there were fcarce-
ly any in the rebel army. I mUft not, however, forget 200
horfemen,Edjow G alla, fervants and relations o f the late k in g
Joas, who behaved in the moil gallant and undaunted manner,
and upon all occafions fet a noble example to the reft o f
the army.
R a s M i c h a e l himfelf led the van ; the k in g the center,
with Guebra Mafcal,and a confiderable body o f mufqueteers
o f Tigré ; he had no horfe but thofe o f his own houfehold.
T he rear was commanded by Welleta Michael, and Tecla:
how difpofed, or o f what troops conftituted I know not, for
the front, center, and rear were understood to march
in order, but it was often impoflible to difcern any fuch di-
vifions ; we were often all in confufion, fometimes we were
in the middle o f the front, fometimes joined and mixed
with the rear ; all our officers had left their command, and
were crowding about Ras Michael and the k in g ; women
2 bearing
.bearing provifions, horns o f liquor, and mills for grinding
corn, upon their backs ; idle women o f all forts, h a lf dead
with fear, crying and roaring, mounted upon mules ; and
men driving mules loaded with baggage, mingled with the
troops, and paffing through in all directions, prefented fuch
a tumultuous appearance that it furpafied all defcription.
There were above 10,000 women accompanying the army.:
the Ras had about 50 loaded with bouza, and the k in g I
fuppofe near as many.
T h e fight threw me for a moment into low fpirits. I
know not i f the k in g faw it. I was perfectly filent, 'when he
cried, Well, what do you fay to us now, Yagoube ? I anfwer-
ed, Is this the order in which your majefty means to engage ?
He laughed, and faid, Aye; why not, you w ill fee. I f that is
fo, I replied, I only hope it is the enemy’s cuftom as well as
your majefty’s to be in no better order. The k in g was going
to anfwer me, when Guebra Mafcal, who was juft befide him,
cried out,This is a bufinefsyou know nothing about,Yagoube;
go to yourFelac (quadrant) and your fortune-telling, i f you
are a fra id ; we have no need o f you, nor your advice to-day.
RefpecSlfor theprefenceof the k ing, which youfeem to be void
of,faidI, hinders me from anfwermg you as I otherwife would
have done; hut be allured, in which ever army they were
to-day, they are not men like Guebra Mafcal whom I ihould
be afraid of. The. k in g looked at him much difpleafed, and,
I believe, faid fomething favourable o f me; what it was I did
not diftindtly hear.
It was n ow about 10 o’clock, when, m arching clofe along
the foot o f the hills, we arrived at Tedda. The burying-
place o f Hatze Hannes I. fon o f Facilidas, ^nd father o f Ya-
Vojl. Tv, Q_ , fious