thing ; neither they nor I wiih an engagement but at Ser-
hraxos.”
I did not underftand the meaning o f the fpeech, but
went away without reply ftraight to the k in g ’s tent ; and I
was juit go in g to fpeak when heftopt me, by crying, “ Go,
go, fo r God’s fake ! ©zoro Efther has been here almoft out
o fh e r fenfes.” I went on this to her tent, where 1 found her
fitting b y Confu and drowned in tears, which at times were
interrupted by fits o f feeming diftraftion. He began to feel
the lofs o f blood, which would have made me wiih not to
move him ; but there was no flaying here for fick people ;
and fo violent a fpirit had fpread through the army, upon
Netcho’s fuccefs and Confu’s victory, that one and all mfitt-
ed upon fighting the next d a y ; and feveral o f my friends,
who knew where I was going, fliook hands with me at my
palling them, faying, “ Farewell, Yagoube ; we-are forry to
lofe you, but all w ill be over before you come back.
I n o w infilled more than ever upon Confu’s going m a
litter and fetting out immediately, which was accordingly
complied with. Ozoro Efther had dinner, or rather fup-
per ready in a moment, and } had great need o f it, having
fcarcely tailed any thing for two days. While I was eating,
Ozoro Efther could not flop thè effufions o f her gratitude
for the care I had.again taken o f Confu. • I knew, fays
flie you would have refufed me, i f I had endeavoured to
perfuade y o u to go away from the camp, when there are
fuch fair expeftations, you may be knocked on the head
to-morrow ; and therefore I applied to the Ras by force to
bend that rafli, proud fpirit o f yours, which one day w ill
be the occafion o f your death.”— “ Madam, faid I, you o
me injuftice i f you will not believe that I had rather obey
your commands than thofe o f any general upon, e a r th :
But, pray, what is the meaning o f the Ras’s fpeech to me
about both armies wiflnng to fight at'Serbraxos * ? Where is -
this Serhraxos ?”— “ Why, fays ihe, here, on a h ill juft b y ;
the Begemder people have a prophecy, that one o f their governors
is to fight a k in g at Serbraxos, to defeat him, and
flay him th e re : in his place is to fucceed another king,
whofe name is Theodores, and in whofe reign all Abyfii-
nia is to be free from war, or from any trouble, ficknefs, or
famine ; that the Galla, Shangalla, and Mahometans are all
to be deftroyed, and the empire o f Abyfiinia to be extended
as far as Jerufakm.”— “ All this deftruftion and conqueft
without war ! That w ill be curious indeed. I think T could
w iih to fee this Theodores,” faid I, laughing. “ See him
you will, replied Ozoro Efther ; peace, happinefs, and plenty
w ill laft all his reign, and a thoufand years afterwards.
Enoch and Elias w ill rife again, and w ill fight and deftroy
■Gog and Magog, and all this without any war.”— “ On
which I again faid, that muft be cleverly managed. And
now, w hy does Ras Michael choofe to fight at Serbraxos ? I
do not think he is defirous to pay his court to the k in g
Theodores, o r any k in g brought him by Begemder.”-_
Why, fays ihe, all the hermits aud holy men on our fide,-
ithat can prophecy, have allured him he is to beat the rebels
this month at Serbraxos ; and a very holy man, a herm
it from Waldubba, came to him at Gondar, and obliged
h im to march out againft his will, by telling him this prophecy,
which he knows to be true, as the man is not like
V o l . IV. R common
* SetbriU«>s» abbreviation fo r -Serba Chriftos, the Croia ofChrift.