THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 653 



riiis time, a prefent from the Naybe of Mafuah, who, after 

 what had happened to his friend Michael, began to feel a: 

 little uneafy about the fate of his iiland. 



While Yafous was thus employed, news were fent h'rni 

 from Kafmati Ayo, governor of Begemder, that he had beat 

 the people of Lafta in a pitched battle in their own country, 

 had forced their llrong-iioId^,d'.fperfed their troops, and re- 

 ceived the general fubmillion of the province, which had 

 been in rebelhon fmce the time of Hatze Socinios, that is,, 

 above 100 years. Imaiedif tcly after thefe news, came Ayo 

 himfelf to parade and throw has unclmn trophies of vidory 

 before the king, and brought with him many of the princi- 

 pal people of Lafta to take the oaths of allegiance to the. 

 king. 



Yasous received the accounts of the fuccefs Vv^ith great 

 pleafure, and ftill more fo the oaths and fubmiffions made 

 to him. He then added Lafta to the province of Begemder, 

 and cloathed Ayo magnificently, as well as all thofe noble- 

 men that came with him from Lafta. The end of this year 

 was not marked with good fortune like the beginning. A 

 plague of locufts fell upon the country, and confumcd every 

 green thing, fo that a famine feemed to be inevitable, be- 

 .eaufe, contrary to their cuftom, tliey had attached them- 

 felves chiefly to the grain. This plague is not fo frequent 

 in Abyftinia as the Jefuits have reported it to be. Thefe 

 good fathers indeed bring the locufts upon the country, that^. 

 fey their pretended miracles, they may. chace them away. 



Michael had continued fome time in prifon, in the cuf- 

 ^sdy of Ras Welled dc I'Oul. But he was afterwards fer atr 



fall: 



