46 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



ftones about his neck. The king fcarcely deigned to fpeak to 

 him, whilft the royal prifoner Ukewife obferved a profound 

 fdence. When the army had fatistied their curiofity with 

 the fight of this prince, (once the objeft of their fear), the 

 king, by a motion of his hand, ordered him to be haaged 

 upon a tree at the entrance of the camp, with all the orna- 

 ments he had upon him. After this the queen of Mara, 

 concerning whom fo many furprifmg (lories had been told 

 of her poifoning the waters by drugs and inchantments, 

 was, notwithilanding the known partiality of this king for 

 the fair fex, ordered to be hewn in pieces by the foldiers^ 

 and her body given to the dogs. 



Amda Sion then difpatched a meffenger with the news 

 of his vidlory to the queens his wives, and the reft of the 

 ladies he had left with the main army at Debra Martel, when 

 the m.onks of the convent immediately began a folemn 

 proceflion and thankfgiving, attended by the exercife of eve- 

 ry fort of work of charity and piety. 



It was now the end of July, when the rains in Abyflinia 

 become both conftant and violent, that the king called a 

 council of the principal nobility, officers, and priefts, to de- 

 termine whether he Ihould go ftraight home, or fend their 

 wives, children, and baggage before them the direcfl road, 

 when the light and unincumbered army Ihould take a com- 

 pafs, and lay wafte a part of the kingdom of Adel they had 

 already invaded, and return in another dircdion. The ma- 

 jority of the army, and the priefts above all, were for the 

 firft propofal ; but the king and principal officers thought 

 the advantages gained by fo much blood were to be follow- 

 ed, and not dcferted,till they fliould either have reduced the 

 I Mahometans 



