290 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



againfl Amdo with all poflible expedition, as his affairs 

 were become defperate in that part of his dominions. 



The king hereupon marchedflraight to Woggora, and join- 

 ed Julius at Shimbra-Zuggan ; thence he defcended from 

 Samen, and encamped upon Tocur-Ohha> (the black river) 

 thence he proceeded to Debil, and then to Sobra ; and from 

 this lafl ftation he fent a detachment of his army to attack 

 a ftrong mountain called Meffiraba, one of the natural for- 

 treiles of Gideon, which was forced by the king's troops af- 

 ter fome refillance, and the whole inhabitants, without di^ 

 ftin(5lion of age or fex, put to the fword, for fuch were the. 

 orders of the king. 



This firll fuccefs very much difheartened the rebels, for 

 Mefliraba was, by nature, one of the ftrongeft mountains, 

 and it, befides, had been fortified by art, fui-niflied with plen- 

 ty of provifions, and a number of good troops. The next 

 mountain Socinios attacked was Hotchi, and the third Am- 

 ba Za Hancaffe, where he had the like fuccefs, and treated 

 the inhabitants in the fame manner; thence he removed his 

 army to Seganat, where he met with a very ftout refiftance ^ 

 but this mountain, too, was at lafl taken, Gideon himfelf 

 efcaping narrowly by the bravery of his principal general, 

 who, fighting defperately,v/as flain by a mufqueteer. 



The conftant fuccefs of the king, and the bloody manner 

 in which he piirfued his vi(5lory, began to alarm Gideon, 

 left the end lliould be the extirpation of his whole nation. 

 He, therefore, made an overture to the king, that, if he would 

 pardon him and grant him peace, he would deliver the re- 

 bel Amdo bound into liis hands, 



THft 



