64 MEMOIR OF BRUCE, 



Ras Michael's return to Gondar, than he marched 

 against the Agows, near the sources of the Nile, 

 and defeated them in a bloody battle. A council 

 was forthwith called, and although the rainy season 

 was at hand, old Michael declared that the king's 

 forces should immediately take the field. Bruce, 

 who was suffering from ague and ill health, had 

 taken up his residence at Emfras, a town eastward 

 of the great lake Tzana ; and as the army passed 

 close by that place on its march, he embraced the 

 opportunity of joining it, in order to visit the neigh- 

 bouring cataract of the Nile, as the troops had to 

 cross the river before reaching the enemy's territory. 

 After a journey of several days, they arrived at the 

 river, which was confined between two rocks, and 

 ran in a deep ravine with great noise and impetuous 

 velocity. " The cataract itself (says Bruce) was the 

 most magnificent sight that ever I beheld. The 

 height has been rather exaggerated, but judging 

 from the position of long sticks and poles, at diffe- 

 rent heights of the rock from the water's edge, I 

 may venture to say that it is nearer forty feet than 

 any other measure. The river had been consider- 

 ably increased by rains, and fell in one sheet of 

 water, above half a mile in breadth, with a force 

 and roaring that was truly terrible, and which 

 stunned and made me for a time perfectly dizzy. 

 A thick fume or haze covered the fall all around, 

 and hung over the course of the stream, both above 

 and below, marking its track though the water was 

 not seen." From the cataract Bruce returned to the 



