ing. I intreated h er to continue her kind partiality to me the.
next day, and to judge for ever o f the efteem I had for her b y
my then behaviour. She promifed to do fo with the utmoft
complacency and fweetnefs, and departed.
S o o n after this, a fervant arrived from Ras Michael, with-
a magnificent faddle and bridle as a prefent to Engedan.
This man told us that a melfenger had come from Waragna.
Fafil, defiring a place might be marked out for him to encamp,
for he was to join the k in g early in the morning ; but
nobody gave any credit to this, nor did he, as far as I ever
heard, advance a foot nearer the camp; The meilfenger
commanded us all, moreover, to go to bed, which we immediately
complied with. I only went to the k in g ’s tent, where
the company was difperfing, and killed his hand, after w hich
I retired. In my way home to my tent, I faw a faggot ly in g
in the way, when the itory o f the Guraguè «m e prefently
into m y mind. I ordered fome foldiers to feparate it w ith
their lances ; but it had been, brought for fuel, at leali no»
Guragué was there.
I w a s no fooner la id upon my bed, than f fell into a pro*,
found lleep, w hich continued uninterrupted till five o’clock
in the morning o f the 20th. I had fpared myfelf induftri-
oully in la ft night’ s caroufal, for fe a ro f contributing to a re~
lapfe into defpondency in the morhing ; hut I found ail within
ferene and compofed as it ihould -be, and entirely re-
figned to what was decreed, I was perfectly fatisfied, that
the advancing or retarding the day o f my death was not in
the power o f the army o f Begemder. I then vifited all thè
horfcs arid the black foldiers, and ordered two-or three off
them, who were not perfectly recovered from their hurts,
. '/ to
to Hay in the camp. I afterwards, went to the k in g ’s tent,
who was not yet up ; and the Very inllant after, the Ras’s
firll drum beat, and the k in g rofe ; foon after which, the
fecond drum was heard for the foldiers to go to breakfall.
I went into the kin g’s tent to kifs his hand, and receive his
orders. He told me they were fpeedily then going to break-
fiall within, to which meal I was engaged at Ozofo Either’».
He anfwered, Make hafte then, for I am refolved to be on
the field before k in g Theodoras to-day. lam his fenior,
and Ihould fo e w him the example. He feemed more than
ordinary g a y a,nd in fpiritsV . -
I f i n i s h e d m y breakfall .in a few minutes, and took a
grate fu l, but cbearful leave o f Ozoro Either, and received
many acknowledgements, and kind expreffions, both from
h e r and Tecla Mariam, who did not fail to be there accordin
g to appoiritment. The day was clear, the fun warm, and
the army defcended into the plain with great alacrity, in
the lame order as the day before. .Guebra Mafcal, with his
mufqueteers, took poflellion o f the J on g hill in. the valley;
and coalled the left flank o f our left wing, the river Mariam
and its high banks being only between us. T h e k in g
took his poll, with the winding road aforementioned (up
the lleep banks o f the Mariam) clofe on Iris left. Guebra
■Mafcal having come to the fouth end o f the hill below,
marched brilkly up the road, and then advanced about 200
yards, making his men ly e down at the brink o f the hill
next the plain, among bent grafs, and thin tall forubs like
Spanifo broom, fo as to be perfectly out o f ligh t; his line
was at r ig h t angles with our front, fa that his fire mull
enfilade the whole front o f our line.
x 2 I t