.-sji TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



That he might not, therefore, have two enemies at fucli 

 a diftance from each other upon his hands at once, this 

 year, as foon as the rains were over, he determined to march 

 and attack the bafha. The baflia was very foon informed of 

 hit. defagns, and as foon prepared to meet them ; fo that 

 the king found him aheady in the field, encamped on his 

 own fide of the Mareb, but without having committed, 

 till then, any adl of hoftility. He marched out of his 

 camp, and formed, upon feeing the royal army approach ; 

 leaving a fufficient field for the king to draw up in, if he 

 lliould incline to crofs the river, and attack him. 



This confident, rather than prudent conduct of the baflia, 

 did not intimidate the king, who being ufed to improve 

 ever)' advantage coolly, and without bravado, embraced this 

 very opportunity his enemy chofe to give him. He formed, 

 therefore, on his own fide of the Mareb, and pafiTed-it in as 

 good order as pofiiblc, confidering it is a iwift ftream, and 

 very deep at that feafon of the year. He halted I'everal times 

 while his men were in the water, to put them again in or- 

 der, as if he had cxpedled to be attacked the moment he 

 landed on the other fide. The bafha, a man of knowledge 

 in his profelfion, who faw this cautious conduct of the king, 

 is laid to have cried out, ** How unlike he is to what 1 have 

 *' heard of his father !" alluding to the general rafli beha- 

 viour of the late king Mcnas w4iilfl. at the head of his 

 army.^ 



SertzaDenghel having left all his'baggage on the other 



fide, and palled the river, drew up his army in the fame 



deliberate manner^in which he had crofi[ed the Mareb, and 



formed oppofite to the balha ; as if he had been adtingun- 



3. der 



