THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 15 



interefts of the king, had been aflliflinated and robbed in 

 the province of I fat, when the King was biified with Ha- 

 norius and his Monks. Without complaining or cxpoftula- 

 ting, he fuddenly alTembled his troops, having ordered them 

 to rendezvous at Shugura upon the frontiers, and, to flicw 

 his impatience for revenge, with feven * horfemen he fell 

 upon the nearcft Mahometan fcttlements, who were perfect- 

 ly fecure, and put all he found in his way to the fword with- 

 out exception. Then placing himfclf at the head of his 

 army, he marched, by a long day's journey, flraight to Ifar, 

 burning Hungura, Jadai, Kubat, Fadife, Calife, and Argai, 

 towns that lye in the way, full of all forts of valuable mer- 

 chandife, and, finding no where a force affembled to op- 

 pofe him, he divided his army into fmall detachments, fend- 

 ing them different ways, with orders to lay the whole 

 countries, where they came, wafte with fire and fword, 

 while he himfelf remained in the camp to guard the fpoil, 

 the women, and the baggage. 



The Moors, aftoniflied at this torrent of defolation, which 

 fo fuddenly had broken out under a prince whom they 

 had confidered "as immerfcd in pleafurc, flew all to arms ; 

 and being informed that the king was alone, and fcarcely 

 had foldicrs to guard his camp, they aflbmbled in numbers 

 under the command of Hak-eddin, governor of Ifat, who had 

 before plundered and murdered the king's fervant. They 

 then determined to attack Amda Sion early in the morning, 

 but luckily two of his detachments had returned to the 

 camp to his afliftance, and joined him the very night before. 



It. 



* It lias been imagined that this number Ihould be incrcaftd to feventy, but I have-follov 

 :d.tbe text ; there would be lit»le difference in ihe lallinefs of the av'^tion. 



