THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 679 



thin and fragil, and are called bnilJoe. Mariam Barea,. 

 provoked at being fo undervalued as he was in the king's 

 melTage, returned only for anfwer, " Still the king had bcr- 

 " ter take my advice, and not fend his brulhes here ; they 

 " are but weak, and the rocks about Begemder hard ; at 

 " any rate, they do right to move flowly, othcrwife they 

 ** might break by the way." 



As foon as this defiance was reported to the king and his 

 counfellors all was in a flame, and orders given to march im- 

 mediately. The whole of the king's houfehold, confilling of 

 8000 veteran troops, were ordered to join the army of Brulhe. 

 This, tho' it added to the difplay of the army, contributed no- 

 thing to the real ftrength of it ; for all, excepting the Gal- 

 la, were refolved neither to Ihed their own blood nor that 

 of theh brethren, under the banners of fo dctcfled a leader. 



This was not unknown to IMariam Barea ; but neither 

 the advantage of the ground, the knowledge of. Brulhe's 

 weakncfs, nor any other confideration, could induce him 

 to take one ftep, or harrafs his enemy, out of his own pro- 

 vince ; nor did he fuffer a mufket to be fired, or a horle to 

 charge, till Brulhe's van was drawn up on the brink of the 

 well Fernay.. After he had placed the horfc of the province 

 of Lafxa oppofite to the Edjow Galla, againft whom his de- 

 fignwas^the armies joined, and the king's troons immediately 

 gave way. The Edjow, however, engaged fiercely and ia 

 great earneft with the horfe of Lalla, an enemy fully as 

 cruel and favage as themfelves, but much better horle- 

 men, better armed, and better foldiers. The mozuent the 

 king's troops turned their back?, the trumpets from AJa- 

 riam^Barea's army forbade the puifuit ; while the reft of the 



2^ Bege aider 



