26^3 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



had diflinguiihed himfelf in Za Denghel's reign, by abfol- 

 ving the king's fubjedts and foldiers from their oaths of al- 

 legiance, which was followed by the unfortunate death of 

 Za Denghel in the plain of Bartcho. Vain of the import- 

 ance he had acquired by the fuccefs of his treafon, he had 

 purfued the fame condud; with regard to Socinios, and fol- 

 lowed Jacob to battle, where, trufting to his character and 

 habit for the fafety of his perfon, he negledled the danger 

 that he ran amidft a flying army. While occupied in uttering; 

 vain curfes and excommunications againfl the conquerors,, 

 he was known, by the crucifix he held in his hand, by a^ 

 Moorifli, foldier of Socinios, who thrufl him through with^ 

 a lance, then cut hi& liead oiF, and carried it to the king. 



The Abyllinian annals flate, that, immediately after fee-^- 

 ing the head of Abuna Peter, Socinios ordered a retreat tO: 

 be founded, and that no more of his enemies Ihould be- 

 ilain. On the contrary, the Jefuits have faid, that the pur- 

 fuit was continued even after night ; for that a body of" 

 horfe, among whom were many Portuguefe belonging to 

 the army of Jacob, flying from Socinios's troops, fell over 

 a very high precipice, it being fo dark that they did not 

 difcovcr it ; and that one foldier, called Manuel Gonfalez^ 

 finding his horfe leave him, as it were flying, lighted luck- 

 ily on a tree, where, in the utmofl: trepidation, he fat all- 

 night, not knowing where he was. This fear was greatly 

 encreafed in the morning, when he beheld the horfes, and! 

 ehe men who were his companions, lying dead and dalhedi 

 to pieces in the plain below. 



Ras Athanasiijs, who had followed the party of Jacob,. 

 narrowly efcaped by the fwiftnefs of his horfe, and hid 

 :ti>nirclf in the nionaflery of Dima^ at no great diHancc frona 



