THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. ii^ 



2a Saluce withdrew in the heat of the engagement, leaving 

 the king in the midfl of his enemies. This treafon, how- 

 ever, feemed to have infpired the fmall army that remained 

 with new courage, fo that the day was as yet dubious, when 

 Ifcander, being engaged in a narrow pafs, and feeing him- 

 felf clofe prelTed by a Moor who bore in his hand "the green 

 llandard of Mahomet, turned fuddenly upon him., and flew 

 him with a javelin ; and, having wrefted the colours from 

 him as he was falling, he, with the point of the fpear that 

 bore the enfign, llruck the king of Adel's fon dead to the 

 ground, which immediately caufed the Moors to retreat. 



The young. prince was too prudent to follow this vidoiy 

 in the ftate the army then was ; for that of Adel, though it 

 had retreated, did not difpcrfe. Za Saluce was returning 

 by long marches to Amhara, exciting all thofe in his way 

 to revolt; and it was high time, therefore, for the king to 

 follow him. But, unequal as he was in ftrength to the 

 Moors, he could not reconcile it with his own honour to 

 leave their army mailers of the field.. He, therefore, firft 

 confulted the principal officers of his troops, then harangued 

 his men, which, the hillorian fays, he did in the moll pa- 

 thetic and maflerly manner ; fo that, with one voice, tlicy 

 defned inflantly to be led to the Moors. The king is faid ; 

 to have ranged his little army in a manner that aftonifhed 

 the oldefl officers. He then fent a defiance to the Moors, 

 by feveral prifoners whom he releafcd. They, however, 

 more defirous to keep him from ravaging the country than 

 to fight another battle, continued quiet in their tents ; and 

 the king, after remaining on the field till near noon, drew. 

 ofF his troops in the prcfence of his enemy, making a re-. 



trear 



