THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. Si 



ilaughter, like to that made upon mount Bamo, was the 

 occafion, as we fhall fee, of deferting Gefhen likewife. 



The king applied himfelf next to meafures for the better 

 government of his country. He ordered a general pardon 

 to be proclaimed to all who, by the feverity of the late reign, 

 lay under fentence of death, banifliment, or any other 

 punifhment ; and, convoking the ftates of the kingdom, he 

 met them with a chearfulnefs and opcnnefs which infpired 

 confidence into every rank, while, at the fame time, he fill- 

 ed all the places he found vacant, or that he thought pro- 

 per to change, with men of the greateft integrity. He then 

 reviewed the whole cavalry that were in his fcrvice, which 

 he diftributed into bodies, and ftationed them in places 

 where they could be readieft called, to execute thofe de- 

 figns he had then in contemplation. 



The next year the king went to Debra Libanos in Shoa. 

 It was, however, obfervcd, that his preparations were not 

 fuch as were ufual in thefe fliort journies, nor fuch as were 

 made in peaceable times. On the contrary, orders were 

 fent to the borders of Tigre to receive the royal army, which 

 was foon to arrive in thofe parts. The rumour of this was 

 quickly fprcad abroad, and afFe(5led all the neighbouring 

 Hates, according to their fevcral interefls. Mahomet king of 

 Adcl was the firft that took tlie alarm. Tho' a kind of peace 

 had fubfiiled for feveral years between Adel and Abyfiinia, 

 yet inroads had been made from each country into the 

 other ; and thefe might have ferv-cd them as pretexts for 

 war, had that been the inclination of the times. Yet, as 

 both countries happened to be difpofed for peace, thefe out- 

 rages paflbd unnoticed. 



Vol, II. L ^ut, 



