THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 3^5 



guardian of that communication, and the caravans pafung 

 k. 



The Baharnagafh had in orders from Socinios to purfue 

 this queen till he had taken her prifoner, and to bring her in 

 that condition into his prefence. The enterprife was by no 

 means an eafy one. Great part of the road was without 

 water ; but Gucbra Mariam, the Baharnagafli, was an a(5live 

 and prudent officer, and perfecftly acquainted with the fe- 

 reral parts of the country. With a fmall, but veteran army, 

 he inarched down the Mareb, between that river and the 

 mountains, dcftroying all the places through which he pafT- 

 ed, putting the inhabitants unmercifully to the fword, that 

 no one might approach him, nor any report be made of 

 his numbers, which were everywhere magnified by thofc 

 that efcaped, and who computed them from the grcatnefs 

 of the defolation they had occafioned. 



On the 13th day he came before Mendera, and fent a 

 fummons to the queen Fatima to furrender. Being told 

 that Ihe had fled on his approach, he anfwcred, That he ca- 

 red not where flie was ; but that, unlefs fhe furrendered Ikt- 

 felf prifoner before he entered Mendera, he would lirft let 

 tlie town on fire, and then quench the llames by the blood 

 of its inhabitants. . 



Fatima, though old and infirm, was too great a lover of 

 her people to riik the fulfilling this threat from any confi- 

 deration of what luight happen to her. She furrendered 

 herfelf to Guebra Mariam, with two attendants ; and he, 

 wiihout lofs of time, marched back to his ov n country, ab- 

 ftaining from every fort of violence or exccfs in his wiy,_ 



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