ibus the Great, was fcarce a quarter o f a mile to the S. W.
o f us, and the church o f St George a little more on the eaft -
when orders came from the Ras for us to encamp on the
fide o f the hill, which we accordingly did, and were prefently
in better order than we were when marching. The Ras, w h o
had palled the river o f Tedda, encamped on the fouth fide
o f it. It happened that our two bodies, the front and center,
were at that time treading upon one another’s heels ; but
the rear, from fome accident, was confiderably behind, and
part o f it had fcarce palled the Mogetch.
Both the burying-place, and church near it, were planted
thick round with Cyprus and cedar trees. Juft a little before
the Ras ordered us to encamp, a melfenger arrived
from Netcho, (the Fit-Auraris) that he had that m o rn in g
met the Fit-Auraris o f BegemdeF on this fide o f the river
Mariam.; that he had killed the Fit-Auraris himfelf, (a man;
o f Lafta) with 37 o f his men, and driven them back : he-
added, that he intended to fall back himfelf upon the Ras’s.
army, unlefs flopt by contrary orders ; thefe the Ras did
not fend, being delirous that he Ihould join him, as he
fbon after did, without being pu rfu ed : he brought w o rd
that the army o f the rebels was near at hand, between
Kon ev a and the la k e ; that Powulfen’s head-quarters were-
at Korreva, and that he had heard Guflio had pufhed on-
advanced polls, as far as the church o f M ariam ; but this he
did not know for certain, being only the information o f a.
dying man. Ras Michael immediately detached Guebra
Mafcal, and another officer, with 400 men to take poffef-
fion o f the fepulchre and the church at Tedda, and conceal
themfelves among the cedar-trees.
W *
We had not encamped long, before the rear came in
fight. Confu, fon o f Ozoro Either, whom the Ras had left
to guard Gflndar, hearing how near the enemy was, and
the probability o f a battle that day, had left his poll, and
joined Yafine, with the horfe o f Ras el Feel, that were in
the rear; foon after this juhdtion, Afahel Woodage, with
about 400 men, partly Edjow Galla, (the late k in g Joas’s
houfehold);partly Maitfha, came up from the Dembea fide
o f the lake Tzana, and began to harrafs the rear, marching
in great confufion. Confu, though fomething fuperior in
number, was thought to be inferior in the goodnefs o f
troops by much more than the difference; but the event
proved the contrary, for he charged Woodage A fahel fo forcibly,
that he obliged him to quit our rear, and retire acrofs
the plain at a pace, which if not a flight, did very much re-
femble it. Ayto Confu preffed vigoroufiy upon him, till,
being now clear o f the reft o f the army, and in the fair
open plain, Woodage wheeled ihortly about, and fliewed
by his countenance that it was not to avoid Ayto Confu,
but Ras Michael’s mufquetry, that he retreated to a g reater
diftance; both Tides ftopt to breathe their horfes for fome
minutes ; but it was plain afterwards, Afahel Woodage, an
old foldier, trailed much to the known valour o f his troops,
and wilhed to ftrike a blow o f confequence in prefence o f
his old enemy the Ras.
R a s M i c h a e l was at the door o f his tent then playing at
dams, or drafts, as was his. cuftom, and Ozoro Either was
trembling to fee her fon on the point o f being furrounded
b y mercilefs Galla, the nation who moll o f all Ihe detefted,
and who had every caufe to hate her. All the young men,
(Confu’s friends) with their lances in their hands, and rea-
_ dy