384 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Serca Christos, in his march, was come to a fettlement 

 of thofe lail-mentioned lavages, where Gafats, Agows, and 

 Damots, all in peace, paftiired immenfe flocks of cattle to- 

 gether. There are no where, I believe, in the world, cattle 

 fo beautiful as thofe of the Gafats, nor in fuch numbers. 

 Large plains, for many days journey, are filled fo full of 

 thefe that they appear as one market. 



Serca Christos halted here to give grafs to his horfes ; 

 and, while this was doing, it entered into his young head, 

 that making prize of the cattle was of much greater con- 

 fequence than prote(5ling the caravan of Narea. Afl'em- 

 bling then his cavalry, he fell upon the poor Gafats and Da- 

 mots, who feared no harm ; and, having foon put them all 

 to flight, he drove off their cattle in fuch numbers, that, at 

 Dancaz, it was faid, above 100,000 had reached that marker. 



The king, muchfhocked at this violent robbery, ordered 

 Serca Chrifl;os to give up the cattle, and furrender himfclf 

 as prifoner. This meffage of the king he anfwered in 

 terms of duty and obedience ; but, in the mean time, went 

 to the prince, and propofed to him to declare himfelf king 

 and champion of the church of Alexandria. Facilidas re- 

 ceived him with fliarp reproofs, and he returned home much 

 difcontented. However, as he had now declared himfelf, 

 he refolved to put the beft face upon the matter ; and, in 

 order to make it generally believed that the prince and he 

 imdcrftood each other, he fent him publicly word, " I have 

 done what your highnefs ordered me ; come and take pof- 

 feliion of your kingdom." Upon which the prince ordered 

 his meflenger to be put in irons, and fent to Dancaz to the 

 kin^ his father. 



After 



