672 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Efhte had kept about him in a private flation, and had lately 

 given him a fubaltern command among his own country- 

 men, theDjawi of Damot. From the fervices that he had then 

 rendered, it was expeded a greater preferment viras to fol- 

 low. 



The infoleiicc of the Djawi had come to fuch a pitch 

 that they had offered Eflite battle ; but they had £ed with 

 very little refiftance, and been driven over the Nile to their 

 countrymen whence they came. Efhte, roufed from his in- 

 dolence, now fliewed himfelf the gallant foldier that he 

 really was. He croffed the Nile at a place never attempted 

 before ; and though he loft a confiderable number of men 

 in the paffage, yet that difadvantage was more than com- 

 penfated by the advantage it gave him of falling upon the 

 Galla unexpectedly. He therefore deftroyed, or difperfed 

 feveral tribes of them, pofTeffed himfelf of their crops, 

 drove off their cattle, wives, and children, and obliged 

 them to fue for peace on his own terms ; and then repaffed 

 the Nile, re-eftablilhing the Djawi, after fubmiffion,in their 

 ancient poffeffions. 



Upon news of Welled de FOul's death, and the known in- 

 tention of the queen that Eflite fliould fucceed him in the 

 office of Ras, he was muftering his foldiers to march to Gon- 

 dar : Damot, the Agows, Goutto, and Maitflia, all readily 

 joined him from every quarter; and Waragna Fafd had 

 been fent to bring in the Djawi with the reft. Eflite had 

 marched by flow journics from Bure, flenderly attended, 

 to arrive at Goutto the place of rendezvous ; and, being come 

 to Eagitta, in his way thither, he encamped upon a plain 

 there, near to the church of St George. 



It 



