THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 185 



felf between the Portuguefe army and that of the king, 

 drawing up his troops before the camp, and defying the 

 Portuguefe to march out, and fight, in the moil opprobrious 

 language. Don Chriftopher, in a long catalogue of virtues 

 which he poiTelTed to a very eminent degree, had not the 

 fmallefh claim to that of patience, fo very neceflary to 

 thofe that command armies. He was brave to a fault; 

 rafh and vehement ; jealous of what he thought milita- 

 ry honour; and obflinate in his refolutions, which he form- 

 ed in confequence. The defiance of this barbarian, at which 

 an old general would have laughed, made him utterly for- 

 get the reafons he himfelf frequently alledgcd, and the ar- 

 guments ufed by the queen, which the king's approach 

 daily ftrengthened, that it was rifking every thing to come 

 to a battle till the two armies had joined. He had, however, 

 from no other motive but Gragne's infolcnce, formed his 

 refolution to fight, without waiting a junction ; and accord- 

 ingly the 30th of Auguft, early in the morning, having 

 chofcn his ground to the bcfl advantage, ]ie oiTercd battle 

 to the Moorifli army. 



Gragne, by prcfcnts fent to the baflia of Zibid, had 

 doubled his number of horfe, which now confifted of 2000. 

 He had got likewifc 100 Turkifli mufqueteers, an infinite 

 number of foot, and a train of artillery more numerous 

 and complete than ever had been feen before in Abyifinia. 

 The queen, frightened at the preparation for the battle, fled, 

 taking with her the Portuguefe patriarch, who fecmed to 

 Iiave as little inclination as flie had to fee the ifliic of the 

 day. But Don Chriftopher, who knew well the bad effects 

 this example would have, both on Abyfilnians- and Portu- 

 guefe, fent twenty horie, and brought them both back ; tell- 

 ing the patriarch it was a breach of duty he would not fuf- 

 VoL. ir, A a fer. 



