Sf-4- TRAVELS TO DTSCrOVER:, - 



The prcfents fent to Bceda Mariam from Dancali did' not 

 make a great figure when compared with thofe of Adel, 

 They conllfted of one horfe, a mule, a fliield of elephant's 

 hide, a poifoned lance, two fwords, and fome dates. Poor 

 as theie prefents were, they were much more refpecled than 

 thofe of Adel, becaufe they came from a loyal heart ; while 

 the others were from a nation dillinguilhed every year by 

 fome premeditated adlion of treachery and bloodlhed. The 

 king, having firft fent for the Abuna, Imaranha Chriftos,, 

 and called the ambaffadors of Dancali and Add into his pre- 

 fence, declared to them, that neither of thefe Hates was 

 to be the icene of war, but that he was inftantly to march; 

 againft the Dobas *, whofe conflant inroads into his country, , 

 and repeated cruelties, he was refolved no longer to fuffer.. 

 He required the ambaffadors to warn their mafters to keep; 

 a ftridt neutrality, otherwife they would be infallibly invol- 

 ved in the fame calamities with that nation. 



Lent being now near, the king returned to Ifras, there to- 

 keep his fafl, and diftributed his. horfe on the fide of Amba- 

 fanet, having fent orders to the governor of Amhara to join, 

 him immediately, who was then at Salamat befieging a 

 party of rebels upon Mount Gehud, which fignifies the 

 Mountain of Man'ifejiatmi. It was the intention of the king, 

 that the troops of Amhara, Angot, and Tigrc fliould prels . 

 upon the enemy from the high country, while he with his 

 own troops (chiefly horfe) fhould cut off their retreat to the. 

 plains of fait ; and it was here that the king of Dancali was 

 afraid that they would interfere v/ith his frefh water. 



ThI3 



* A race of very barbarous people, all Hiepherds, having great fiibftance. and much lefeni' 

 Mingtlie nations of Galla. They are Pagao^. 



