THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 163 



deftroying all before him. The fecond of November he 

 burnt the church of Mecana SelafTe of the holy fepulchre, 

 and Atronfa Mariam ; and, on the 8th of the fame montli, 

 Ganeta Georgis ; on the 2d of December, Debra Agezia-be- 

 her; the 6th of the fame month, St Stephen's church ; after 

 which he returned to Adel with his booty. 



The following year Gragne returned in April, plunder- 

 ed and burnt Warwar, and wintered there. In the year 1530 

 Gragn6 invaded the pi^ovince of Tigrc in the month of Oc- 

 tober, while the king, who had wintered in Dembea, march- 

 ed up to Woggora ; thence, in December, he went to Tfala- 

 met, and returned to Tigrc to keep the feail of the Epi- 

 phany. 



The king, next year, marched through Tzegade, and 

 Gragne clofe followed him, as if he had been hunting a 

 wild beall rather than making war. The 2d of Januarj- he 

 burnt Abba Samuel, then went down into Mazaga the bor^ 

 ders of Sennaar to a conference with Muchtar, one of his 

 confederates, when it was refolvcd that they Ihould fight 

 the king wherever they couln meet him, and attach them- 

 felves to his perfon alone. Gragne by forced marches over- 

 took the king upon the Nile at Delakus, the 6th of Febru'- 

 ary, and offered him battle, knowing the proud fpirit of 

 David, that he Would not refufc, however great the difpro- 

 portion was. 



The event was fiich as might be cxpeded. Fortune 

 again declared againll the king. Negadc Yafous, Acab 

 Saat, and many others -of the nobility perillied, fighting 

 to the lafl, in the fight of their fovereign. In this bat- 



X 2 tie 



