THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 43^* 



putcs and quibbles with the monks concerning it, yet he 

 fuffered each feft to enjoy its own, and, probably, in his 

 heart he perfe6tly defpifed both. 



The monks, however, were far from poflefling any fuch 

 fpirit of toleration. They conlidered the depofing of Acab 

 Saat, Conrtantius, and the Itchegme Tzaga Chriftos, as a de- 

 claration of diilike the king entertained towards their party. 

 *1 hey bore with great impatience and indignation, that A- 

 buna Sanuda, v/ho was once their zealous partizan in the 

 time of Hannes, Ihould now fuddenly change his fentiments, 

 and declare implicitly for thofe of th-e king, and thereby in^- 

 creafe both the number and the confequence of their ad- 

 verfaries. They declared that they would fuffer every thing 

 rather than live under a king who ftiewed himfelf fo open- 

 ly a favourer of Debra Libanos, though it was now but their 

 turn, having in the lall reign had a king more partial, and 

 more attached to St Euilathiu*, than ever Yafous was to any 

 fet of monks whatever. 



The ringleaders in all thefe fcditious declarations were 

 Abba Tebedin, fuperior of the monaltci-y of Gondga, and 

 Kafmati Wali of Damot, by origin a Galla. Thefe two tur- 

 bulent Rien, having firil drawn over to their party the Agows 

 and province of Damot, paiTed over the Nile to Goodero and 

 Baffo, whom they joined, and then proclaimed king one 

 ifaac, grand fon of Socinios a prince, who was never fent to 

 the mountain, but whofe predeceffors, being at liberty when 

 Facilidas firft baniflied his brothers and children to Wechnc, 

 had fled to the Galla, and there remained in obfcurity, wait- 

 ing the jundture which now happened to declare his royal 

 defcent, and ofler himfelf for king. 



3X2 Tli£ 



