THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 593 



fame proclamation by beat of drum that they had done in 

 the betwudet's houfc. They found the drum ready, and 

 the whole body of the king's houfehold troops under arms, 

 and drawn up before it. Upon the fight of their compa- 

 nions, the foldiers left the Betwudct, and fell into a proper 

 place referved vacant for them by their brethren. Without 

 lofs of time the dmm was beat, and a proclamation made, 

 •' BacuiTa, fon of Tafous, is our king ! Mourn for the dead, 

 and rejoice with the living." Loud acclamations from the 

 people were^echoed back again by the foldiers, and Bacuf- 

 fa's name was received with univerfal acclamations. Some 

 of-the principal people then went to the council-chamber, 

 and fent proper officers, with a good body of troops, to efcort 

 •the king from Wechne. 



,'f 



Upon their arrival they found the fentiments of the 

 princes upon the eleeTiion were widely different from thofe 

 •teftified by the people. They all to a man declared their 

 ■diflent from that elec^iion. They upbraided Bacuff'a for his 

 brutal manners ; for his violent, unfociable, unrelenting 

 temper, from the whicli, they faid, they had the cruelelt con- 

 fequences to apprehend ; and, indeed, it was not without 

 great reafon that they made thefe remonftrances ; for Ba- 

 cuiFa, when he efcaped from the mountain, fled for refuge 

 among the Galla, and received there a very llrong tindlure 

 of the favage manners of that nation, which neither thofe 

 of Gondar nor the army could have an opportunity to judge 

 of. Refolute, active, and politic, he was very well formed 

 to hold the reins of government in unfettled times ; but his 

 temper of itfelf exceedingly fufpicious, and the little re- 

 gard he had for the life of man, made his whole reign (as 

 it was feared) one continued tragedy. So that, notwidi- 

 "^""L. IL 4 F ftanding 



