548 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



The proteftion of his fubjedls, therefore, from the favages, 

 was reprefented to the king as the moft prefling fcrvice; 

 and, marching with his ufual dihgence llraight to Enderta, 

 he was met there by Kafmati VVoldo, an old experienced of- 

 ficer, who aiming at no preferment, paying his tribute 

 pundlually, and having been conllantly occupied in repelHng 

 the incuriions of the Pagans on the frontier, had not been 

 at court fmce the reign of Theophilus. 



After receiving the necefTary information about the 

 country he intended to enter, and taking Kafmati Woldo's 

 two fons with him, the king defcended into the low coun- 

 try of Dancali, once a petty Mahometan kingdom, and 

 friendly to Abyllinia, now a mixture of Galla and the na- 

 tives called Taltal. Without delay he pufhed on to Azab, 

 fpreading defolation through that little province, always 

 defert enough from its natiue, though formerly, from its 

 trade, one of the richeft fpots in the world. 



The king then turned to the right upon the Dobas, who, 

 .not expecfting an army of that ftrength, fled and left their 

 whole cattle a prey to Yafous and his foldiers ; a greater num- 

 ber was fcarce ever feen in Abyfiinia. The king now returned 

 to Enderta, where he confu'med Kafmati Woldo in his govern- 

 ment with diftinguiflaed marks of favour ; and he this year 

 again came back vi(5lorious to Gondar, leaving his campaign 

 againil the Nay be for another feafon. 



In pafllngby Adowa, a fray happened among the king's 

 .troops and thofc of Michael ; feveral were killed on both 

 fides ; and, as the dilputc was between Tigi c and Aniliara, 

 the tv/o great divilions of the country, it threatened to create 



4 . ^ party- 



