camp, without any adventure, bringing the news o f Wel-
leta SelaiTé s death, which feemed to caufe neither furprife
nor forrow, and was never after fpoken o f either by the Ras
or Ozoro Eflher ; but very great rejoicings were made at the
good accounts o f Ayto Confu, with very kind expreilions o f
me, both from the Ras and Ozoro Eflher.
B e f o r e he went to bed, the k in g had examined Mahomet,
and drawn from him the true ftafe o f the kingdom o f Seri-
naar; he then fent for me, and ordered me to deliver h im
m y letters, which I did, interpreting them to him, word for
word. He faid, however, but little at this time, as he
thought that that door, being fo effectually ihut againftme,
lefs could be urged againft the fafer, and more known : road
through Tigré, which, o f courfe, it was prefumed I ihould
more eagerly embrace ; he kept my letters, and ordered me
to choofe two o f the horfes for myfelf, which I flid, one o f
them near feventeen hands high, I fuppofe one o f the moft
powerful horfes in the world. The reft he diftributed a-
mong the black troops ; the fame he did with the coats o f
mail. I found the army in great fpirits, but ftill the ftory
td ftgluing only at Serbraxos feemed to be obftinately per-
fifted in. I alked Ozoro Eflher i f St M ichael had yet appeared
to the Ras; £he anfwered, “ Hulh ! for,God’s fake, don’t
make a joke o f this, one word o f this kind repeated to him
would prevent your ever receiving a favour from Michael.
I t happened that, the day after I had attended Ayto Confu
to Gondar, Ras Michael fent fome foldiers into Dembea
to forage, thefe had been intercepted by a party polled on
purpofe by Kafmati Ayabdar and Guiho, confifting o f Ed-
jo w Galla, with fome horfe from Foggora and Amhara. An
3 engagement
engagement happened pretty much in the fame place and
mannèr as that with Woodage Afahel and Ayto Confu, in
fu ll view o f the camp, and aiEftance was fent on bothfidès
to the reipetftive parties. The troops commanded by Aylo,
brother o f Engedan, and Guebra Mafcal, were beaten back
almoft clofe to the camp, by the horfe led by the Edjow G alla,
though brave and veteran foldiers, while Ras Michael
ordered Yafine and his 200 from Ras el Feel, (all with their
libds on) to charge the Galla, now advanced very near.
Each horfe had a number o f brafs bells at his neck, and
they no fooner appeared than the whole cavalry o f the enemy,
flatting at the hideous figure and noife, fell into con-
fufion, and, being clofely preflTed with violent blows o f their
great fwords, no longer difputed the ground, but left the
field on the gallop. A beautiful grey horfe o f Guiho’s, fu-
perbly ornamented with gold and filver, and having a very
rich broad-fword hanging at his faddle, and a pole-ax on
the other fide under the furcingle, was taken by fome fol-
diers o f Ras el Feel, who fpread the report inftantly that -
Guiho was flain. Immediately on- this, orders were given
for the whole army to defcend into thè plain, which they
did with great alacrity, forming in order o f battle, though
neither the k in g nor Ras Michael le ft the camp, nor did
any adverfafy appear ; and the troops, content with this
bravado, returned, again, in great fpirits to the camp.
T h i s is the- account I heard o f that day’s ikirmiihj f o r I
was not preient there, being at Gondar with Ay-to Confu.
In the evening o f that very day arrived a meflenger from
Guiho,. telling Ras Michael, that a young boy, a nephew o f
his, had, without his knowledge, gone to fee the engagement,,
and had taken with him his favourite horfe,. who;
being.