THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 707 



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H ANNES II. 

 1769. 



JJannes^ Brother to Bacuffa^ chofen King — Is brought from Wechne-'-- 

 Croivned at Gondar — Refu/es to march aga'injl Fqftl—Js poifoned 

 hy Order of Ras Michael. 



H ANNES, a man pafl feventy years of age, made his en- 

 try into Gondar. the 3d of May 1 769. He was bro- 

 ther to BacufFa, and having in his time efcaped from the 

 mountain, and being afterwards taken, his hand was cut 

 off by order of the king his brother, and he was fent back 

 to the place of his confinement. 



It is a law of Abyflinia, as we have already obfcrved, 

 derived from that of Mofes, that no man can be capable ei^ 

 ther of the throne or priellhood, unlefs he be perted in all 

 his limbs; the want of a hand, therefore, certainly difquali- 

 fied Hannes, and it was with thai intent it had be: n cm oif. 

 When this was objedled to him in council, Michael laugh- 

 ed violently, and turned it into ridicule ; " What is it that a 

 " king has to do with his hands ? Are you afraid he Ihall 

 •« not be able to faddle his own mule, or load his own bag- 



V. ii. 4U I ''Z-^g^^' 



