240 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Tascar, the fon of Jacob, died a minoi* ; he rebelled a- 

 gainft his uncle Menas, in confederacy with the Bahania- 

 gaflx, as we have already feen ; and his army being beat by 

 his uncle and fovereign, he was, by his order, thrown over 

 the fleep precipice of Lamalmon, and daihed to pieces. Fa- 

 cilidas, the fecond remaining fon of the fame minor Jacob, 

 lived many years, poiTefTed great eftates in Gojam, and died 

 afterwards in battle, fighting againll the Galla, in defence 

 of thefe pofTeffions. 



This Facilidas had a natural fon named Socinios, who 

 inherited his father's pofTeffions ; was nephew to Sertza Den- 

 ghel, and coufin-german to Za Denghel appointed to fuc- 

 ceed to the throne ; fo that Za Denghel being once remo- 

 ved, as Jacob had been poftponed, there could be no doubt 

 of Socinios's claim as the neareft heir-male to David III. 

 commonly called Wanag Segued. 



SociNios, from his infancy, had been trained to arms, 

 and had undergone a number of hardlliips in his uncle's 

 wars. Part of his eilate had been feized, after his father's 

 death, by men in power, favourites of Sertza Denghel ; and 

 he hoped for a complete reftitution of them from Za Den- 

 ghel his coufm, when he fhould fucceed, for thefe two were 

 as much connected with each other by friendfhip and af- 

 fection, as they were by blood. Nor would any ftep, fays the 

 hiilorian, have ever been taken by Socinios towards mount- 

 ing the throne, had Za Denghel his coufm fucceeded, as by 

 right he ought. 



