40 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



the Mahometans a greater vidory than the regaining all he 

 had conquered. The king hereon, bidding his troops to be of 

 good courage, take reft and refrefhment, fent away the wo- 

 men, children, and other incumbrances, to a fmall convent 

 on the fide of the mountain, called Debra Martel* ; and, being 

 informed of the fituation of the country in general, and the 

 particular pofts where he could get water in greater plenty, he 

 advanced with his army by a flow march towards the enemy. 



The next day he received intelligence by a Moor, that the 

 Mahometans had not only thrown poifon into all the wells, 

 but had alfo corrupted all the water in the front of the army 

 by various fpells and inchantments ; that they were not ad- 

 vancing, but were waiting for troops from fome of the fmall 

 diftridls of Adel that had not yet joined the army. Hereup- 

 on the king ordered his Fit-Auraris to advance a day before 

 him, and fent a prieft, called Tecla &W, with him, that he might 

 blefs and confecrate the water, and thereby free it from the 

 inchantments of the Moors. He himfelf followed with his 

 army, and fat down by a fmall river a fhort way diftant from 

 the enemy. 



The Fit-Auraris is an officer that commands a party of 

 men, who go always advanced before the front of an Abyf- 

 finian army, at a greater or fmaller diftance, according as 

 circumftances require. His office will be defcribed more at 

 large in the fequel. 



The king being arrived at the river, the army began to 

 bathe themfelves, their mules, and their horfes, in the fame 



4 manner 



* Mountain of the Teflimonv. 



