THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 335- 



againfl: his duty to God and his country. The king and his 

 brother might be right in embracing the Romifli religion, 

 becaufe they were convinced of the truth of it : he had 

 ufed, however, the fame means, and the fame appUcation, 

 had heard the arguments of the fame fathers, which, un- 

 luckily for him, had convinced him their religion was not 

 a true, but a falfc one. For the fame reafons he continued 

 to be an Alexandrian, which his brother alledged had made 

 him a Roman. He, therefore, begged Af Chriflos to confi- 

 der, by a review of things fmce David III.'s time, hov/ 

 mucli blood the change would coft to the kingdom by the 

 attempt, whether it fucceeded or not ; and whether, after 

 that confideration, it was worth trying the experiment." 



This artful and fenfiblc meflage, fcnt by a man of the 

 capacity and experience of Emana Chriftos, ealily convinced 

 Af Chriftos that it was not by argument Emana Chriftos 

 was to be brouglit to his duty ; but, like a good officer, he 

 kept up correfpondence with him, that he might be maftcr 

 of the intelligence to what place he i-etircd. 



Soon after Sela Chriftos had left Gojam to join tlie 

 king, by forced marches he furrounded Melca Amba, 

 wliere Emana Chriftos was, and had aftembled a number 

 of troops to defcend into the plain and create a diverlion in 

 favour of Julius. The mountain had neither water in it 

 nor food for fuch a number of men, nor had Emana Chrif- 

 tos forces enough to rilk a battle with an officer of the 

 known experience of Af Chriftos, who had chofen the 

 ground at his full leifurc, and with complete knowledge 

 of it. 



The.j<e 



