THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 675 



-.! This fpirited anfwer was magnified into the crime of 

 difobedience and rebellion. Michael purfued it no further. 

 He knew it was in good hands, which, when once the matter 

 was fet agoing, would never let it drop. Accordingly, to 

 ^vefy one's furprife but Michael's, a proclamation was made, 

 that the king had deprived Mariam Barea of his govern- 

 ment for difobedience, and had given it to Kafmati Brulhc 

 his uncle, now governor of Begemder. 



All Abyffinia was in a ferment at this promotion. The 

 number, power, and vicinity of that race of Galla being 

 confidered, this was but another way of giving the richeft 

 and Ibongell barrier of Abyflinia into the hands of his he- 

 reditary and bloody enemy. There could be no doubt, in- 

 deed, but that, as foon as Brulhe fliould have taken pofTef- 

 fion of his government, it would be inftantly over- run by 

 the united force of that fiivage and Pagan nation; and there 

 was nothing afterwards to avert danger from the metropo- 

 lis, for the boundaries of Begemder reach within a very 

 fhort day's journey of Gondar. 



Masiam Barea, one of the noblefl in point of birth in 

 the country where he lived, fetting every private confidera- 

 tion afide, was too good a citizen to fuiTer a meafure fo per- 

 nicious -to take place quietly in his time, wliile the province 

 Avas under his command. But, befides this, he confidered 

 iiimfelf as degraded and materially hurt both in honour 

 and in intereft, and very fenfibly felt the alfront of being, 

 himfelf and his kindred, fubjeded to a race of Pagans whom 

 iie had fo ofien overthrov/n in the field. 



4 O 2. Thjs 



