56 MEMOIR OF BRUCE. 



had been merely flayed off and left entire, was 

 flapped down over the wound, and fastened by 

 means of two skewers or pins ; the part was then 

 covered with a cataplasm of clay, after which the 

 animal was forced to rise and proceed, until her 

 hungry drivers required another meal. This fact 

 was one of the very extraordinary events in which 

 Bruce's veracity was called in question; the story 

 was laughed at in his own country, and considered 

 too absurd to be true; subsequent observations, 

 however, have since that time amply verified his 

 statements. 



When the travellers reached Sire, they found the 

 peace of that province disturbed, in consequence of 

 the insurrection of Fasil, a man of low birth, who 

 had been made governor of Damot. Has Michael 

 had marched against him, and succeeded in dis- 

 persing his army, after killing ten thousand of his 

 men. The whole country through which they 

 passed was strewn with ruined villages, the wretched 

 monuments of the governor s cruelty. No other 

 event of importance occurred to interrupt them; 

 and after traversing for a month an extensive and 

 mountainous region, the party arrived on the 14th 

 of February (ninety-five days after leaving Massuah) 

 at Gondar. 



The situation of that metropolis is described as 

 very romantic. It stands upon the flat summit of a 

 hill of considerable height ; the houses were chiefly 

 of clay, with the usual conical roofs. The king's 

 palace was a square building, flanked by towers, 



