THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. igi 



with his mufquet, fo that the ball went through his bo- 

 dy in the moment that both armies joined. Gragne, find- 

 ing that his wound was mortal, rode afide from the preffure 

 of the troops towards a fmall thicket, and was clofely fol- 

 lowed by Peter Lyon, who faw him fall dead from his horfe; 

 and, defirous ftill to do further fervice in the battle, he 

 would not incumber himfclf with his head, but, cutting 

 off one of the ears, he put it in his pocket, and returned to 

 the adion. The Mooriih army no fooner mifled the prefence 

 of their general, than concluding all loft, they fell into con- 

 fiifion, and were purfued by the Portuguefe and Abyilinians; 

 with a great llaughter, till the evening. 



The next morning, in furveying the dead, the body of 

 Gragne was found by an Abyliinian officer, who cut his 

 head off, and brought it to the king, who received him with 

 great honour and promife of reward. Peter Lyon Itood a 

 Clent fpe(!:l;ator of the impudence of his competitor; but A- 

 rius Dias, who knew tlie fact, defired the king's attention ;, 

 faying, at the fame time, " That he believed his majefty 

 knew Gragne well enough to fuppofe that he would not 

 fufFer any man to cut off his ear, without having it in his 

 power to fever his head alfo ; and confcquently, that the ear 

 muft be in poflcffion of a better man than he that had 

 brought his head to the camp." Upon this, Peter Lyon pull- 

 ed the ear out of his pocket, and laid it at the king's .feet,, 

 amidft the acclamations of all prefent, for his bravery in 

 revenging his old mafter's death, and his modefty in being 

 content with having done £o, without pretending to. any 

 other reward,. 2- 



