THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 591 



Berwudet Georgis, and directly contradifting what he had 

 faid with his own mouth to the monks of Debra Libanos, 

 which was the occafion of the riot. 



This bloody, indifcriminate maffacre had comprehended 

 too many men of worth and diftin(5tion not to occafion 

 great difcontent among the principal people both within 

 and without the palace. Confpiracies againft the king 

 were now everywhere openly talked of, the fruits of which 

 foon appeared. David fell fick, and thofe about him endea- 

 voured to perfuade him that it was the remains of an injury 

 which he had lately received from a fall oiF his horfe. But, 

 upon the meeting of a council on the 9th of March 17 19, it 

 was difcovered and proved, that KafmatiLate and Ras Georgis 

 had employed Kutcho, keeper of the palace, to give a flrong 

 poifon to the king, which he had taken that morning from- 

 the hands of a Mahometan.. Ras Georgis was then brought 

 before the council, and fcarcely denied the fadt ; upon 

 which his only fon was ordered to be hewn to pieces before 

 his face, and immediately after the father's eyes were pulled 

 out. Kutcho, keeper of the palace, and the Mahometan 

 who gave the poifon, were hewn to pieces with fwords 

 before the gate of the palace, and their mangled bodies 

 thrown to the dogs. The king died that evening in great 

 agony. 



The king's favourite, Betwudet Georgis, found himfelf 

 now in a moll dangerous fituation. David his protedtor 

 was dead, and he was left now alone to anfwer for thofe 

 bloody meafures of which he was univerfally believed to 

 be the advifer. It was abfolutely neceffary, therefore, if 

 poflible, to fecure a fuccelTor of David's own family, who- 



might: 



