w hich he had ftabbed Laeca Mariam. This wretch was a
native o f a very barbarous nation near Shoa, S. E. o f Go-
jam. The name o f their country is Gurague. They are
Troglodytes, and all robbers : their conftant occupation is
attending the Abyflinian camps, and dealing horfes, mules,,
or whatever they can get, which they do in a very Angular
manner.
T h e y all wear their hair very Ihort, ftrip themfelves dark-
naked, and befmear themfelves from head to foot with butter,
or fome fort o f greafe, whild, along the outiide o f their
arm, they tye a long, draight, two-edged, fliarp-pointed
knife, the handle reaching into the palm o f their hand;,
and about four inches o f the blade above the knob o f them
elbow, fo that the whole blade is fafe and inoffenfive when,
the arm is extended, but when it is bent, about four inches,
projefts, and is bare beyond the elbow jo in t ; this being
all prepared, they take a leafy faggot, fuch as the gatherers
o f fuel bring to the camp, w hich they faden to their middle
b y a dring or withy, fpreading it over to conceal or cover,
all their back, and then drawing in their legs, they lie
down, in all appearance, as a faggot, and in the part o f the
camp they intend to rob, crawling dowly in the dark when
they think they are unperceived, and ly ing d ill when there
is any noife or movement near t h em I n cafe they find
themfelves difcovered, they dip the faggot and r u n ; and
whatever part o f them y o u feize efcapes your fingers by
reafon o f the greafe. I f you- endeavour to clafp them, however,
w hich is the only way left, the Gurague bends his.
elbow and drikes you with his knife, and you are mortally
wounded, as was the cafe with Laeca Mariam,
T his
T his affaffin was no fooner fecurdd and difarmed, than
a noofe, with a running knot, was dipt round his neck,,
and his hands' tied behind his back, in which manner, he.
was carried before Ras Michael, who fat upon a dool at
fome didance from his tent, after every part o f it had been
fearched. The fellow at fird refufed to fpeak, but, being
threatened with torture, anfwered, in his own language,
which I did not underdand. He was aiked, who had employed
him to attempt that adadlnation ? He faid ,T he rebels
; and named Guiho and Powuffen.:. he then, varied,
and faid the Iteghe employed him. Before he was fent a-
way he contradicted all this, and declared, that Hagos, his
brother, had employed him ; and that he was then actually
in the camp, with four others, who were determined ta
murder the Ras and Guebra.Mafcal, whatever. it fhould colb
them,
A s e a r c h was on this ordered'through all the camp,butt
no firanger found, excepting one o f the fame nation, who
had planted him fe lf and his faggot near the tent o f the A-
buna;.and who being feized, examined, and promifed pardon,
declared himfelf- abfolutely ignorant o f any fcheme
but robbing, for which purpofe three o f 'them, he faid, had
come into the eamp together; one o f them had flolen two
mules the night before, and gone off, and that he was that
n ight intending to take away two o f the Abuna’s mules ;.
and he fuppofed his companion had the fame intention
w ith regard to the Ras; but as to murder, or any other plot,
h e k n ew n o th in g o f .i t . Being put ilightly to the torture,
he perfifted in his declaration; and when interrogated, declared,
that they all three had come from Gurague with
Amha Yafous,. to load and unload his baggage, and take ca re
o f