THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 617 



ap his head-quarters at Samfeen, where, on the very night 

 after his arrival, he was fet upon by Tenfa Mammo at the 

 head of the Agows. However unexpedled this was, Warag- 

 na, a good foldicr, was not to be taken by furprife. He knew 

 the country, and had not a great opinion either of the force 

 or courage of the enemy, or capacity of their general. Pre- 

 fenting, therefore, only one half of his troops, which could 

 not be eafily difcovered in the dark, he fent Fit-Auraris Tam- 

 ba to make a fmall compafs, and fall upon their rear with 

 the other half. Mammo's troops, thinking this to be a frefh 

 and feparate army, immediately took to flight, and were 

 many of them flain, after leaving behind them their tents, 

 ^^gg^gCj arid the greateft part of their fire-arms, which had 

 been of very little fervice to them in the dark. 



^Varagna, who knew the confequence of his province 

 was the riches of it, and the dependence the capital had 

 upon it for conftant fupplies of provifions, was loath to pur- 

 fue his vi6tory farther, if any means could be fallen upon 

 to bring about a pacification. To efFe6t this, he difpatched 

 melTengers to his friends, the Galla, on the other fide of the 

 Nile, ordering them to be ready to pafs the river on the day 

 he fliould appoint, and to lay wafte the country of the A- 

 gow with fire and fword. He then decamped with his 

 army from Samfeen, and marched to Sacala, and took up his 

 head-quarters in St Michael's church, where he found the 

 Agows in the utmofl; terror from appiehenfion of being 

 ovei'-run with barbarians. But he foon eafed them of their 

 fears by a proclamation, in which he told them plainly, 

 that it was owing to the goodnefs of the country, and not 

 any merit in the people, that the king's palace and capital 

 was fo plentifully iupplied with j rovifions from t' ence ; 



Vol. II. 4 1 that 



