THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 529 



Maillet collufively, that the king fays was a violation of the 

 law of nations ; and it was this inlult, done to Murat his 

 amballlidor, that he ail along complains of, not that offered 

 to du Roule, which he leaves to the king of France ; for he 

 fays exprefsly, if he was to ftarve, or deftroy them all, by 

 flopping the Nile from coming into Egypt, it would be on 

 account of the infult offered to Murat, the envoy, or man, 

 fent on his part to France. It is plain, therefore, that M. de 

 Maillet perfecuted the poor Syrian very wrongfully, and 

 that in no one inftance, from firft to Jafl, was he ever in the 

 right concerning that embafly. 



This flep, which juflice dictated, was not without its rc- 

 -ward ; for Tecla Haimanout, who had affembled his army 

 on this account fooner than he otherwife intended, found 

 immediately after, that a rival and rebel prince, Amda Sion, 

 ■was fct up againll him by the friends of his father Yafous, 

 and that he had been privately collecTiing troops, intending 

 to take him by furprife, when he was, however, at the head 

 of his army ready to give him battle. 



The firfl thing the king did was to difpatch a large body 

 ■of troops to reinforce Dermin, governor of Gojam, and to 

 him he fent pofitive orders to force Amda Sion to fight 

 wherever lie fliould find him, while he, with the royal ar- 

 my, came forward with all expedition to keep the people in 

 awe, and prevent them from joining his rival. 



Amda Sion, on the other hand, loft no time. From Ibaba, 

 through Maitflia, he marched ftraight to Gondar. Being ar- 

 rived at the king's houfe at Dingleber, he i\n down on the 

 throne with the cnfigns of royalty about him, and -there 

 Vol. Ik 3 X _ appointed 



