THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 629 



dead, for political reafons, and was come again toclaim his 

 crown and kingdom. Never was refurre6tion fo little wifli- 

 ed for as this ; a violent fear fell upon part of the mukitude 

 for fome time ; but his name making no party, whether 

 true or falfe, he was feized upon without bloodfhed, tried, 

 and condemned to die. This puniOiment was changed in- 

 to one of 2.Juppofcd gentler kind, the ciuting off his leg, and 

 fending him to Wechne. The operation, always performed 

 in the groffeft manner by an ax, high up the leg, and near 

 the knee, is generally fatal ; for there is no one, having 

 either Ikill or care, to take up the ends of the veins and ar- 

 teries feparated by the amputation ; they only apply ufelefs 

 ftiptics and bandages, of no cffedt, till the patient bleeds to 

 death. This is the common cafe, fo that the pretended Ba- 

 cufla died, in confequence of the operation, before he came 

 to Wechne, though he was by his fentence reprieved from 

 death. 



The king, now arrived at the feventh year of his reign, 

 proclaimed a general hunt, which is a declaration of his 

 near approach to manhood; but he purfued it no length, 

 and again returned to Gondar. 



At that time, a great party of the queen's relations was 

 made againft Ayo governor of Begemder. It began by a 

 competition between Kalmati Geta the queen's brother, and 

 Ayo, who fliould have that p-ovmce. The common voice 

 was for Ayo, not only as a man of the greateft intcreft in 

 the province, but in all refpecfls unexceptionable through- 

 out the kingdom. Welled dc FOul, (brother to Geta) how- 

 ever, being now Ras and Bctwudet, Geta governor of Sa- 

 men,£ufebuis, and all the rcfl of them in high places at 



court. 



