THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 277 



The Galla advanced in their ufual manner, burning and 

 deftroying churches and villages, and murdering without 

 mercy all that vvrere fo unfortunate as to fall into their 

 hands. The king bore thefe excefles of his enemy with the 

 patience of a good general, who faw they contributed to his 

 advantage. He therefore did not offer to check any of their 

 diforders, but by not refilling rather hoped to encourage 

 them. He had an army in number fuperior, and this was 

 feldom the cafe ; but in quality there was no comparifon, 

 five of the king s troops being equal to twenty of the ene- . 

 my, and this was the general proportion in which they 

 fought. He, therefore, contented himfelf with choofing 

 proper ground to engage, and improving it by ambufhes 

 fuch as the nature of the field permitted or fuggefted. 



It was the 7th of January 1608, early in the morning, that 

 the Galla prefented themfclvcs to Socinios in battle, in a 

 plain below Ebenaat, furrounded with fmail hills covered 

 with wood. The Galla filled the whole plain, as if voluntarily 

 devoting themfelves to deftruction, and from the hills and 

 bulhes were deftroyed by fire-arms from enemies tliey did 

 not fee, who with a ftrong body took pofiefiion of the place 

 through which they entered, and by which they were to re- 

 turn no more. 



Socinios that day, for what particular reafon does not 

 appear, diftinguiflied himfelf among the midft of the Galla, 

 by fighting like a common foldier. It is thought by the 

 hiftorians of thofe times, that he had received advice while 

 at Coga, that his fon-in-law Julius intended to rebel, and 

 therefore he meant to difcourage him by comparifon of their 

 perfonal abilities. This, however, is not probable ; the 



king's 



