THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 715 



Fasil here loft a great part of his army; but feeing a 

 place in one of the hills acceflible, he left the valley, and 

 afcended the fide of the mountain, leading a large body 

 of his own troops ; and, having gained the fmooth ground 

 behind the mufqueteers, he came up with them, whilft in- 

 tent only upon annoying the Galla, and cut 300 to pieces. 

 Content with this advantage, and finding his army entire- 

 ly difperfed, he paffed the fources of the Nile at Gceih, 

 defcended into the plain of AfToa, and encamped near 

 Gooderoo, a fmall lake there, intending to pafs the night, 

 and collect his fcattered forces. 



Michael's army had given over purfuit, but PowufTen, 

 with fome chofen horfe of Lafta and Begemder, followed 

 Fafil upon his track, and came up with him a little before 

 the duflc of the evening, on the fide of the lake. Here a 

 great flaughter of wounded and weary men enfued : Fafil 

 fled, and no refiftance was attempted, and the foldiers, fa- 

 tiated with blood, at Jaft returned, and purfued the enemy 

 no further. 



It was the next day in the evening before PowufTen join- 

 ed the camp, having put to the fword, without mercy, all 

 the ftragglers that fell in the way upon his return. The 

 appearance of this man and his behaviour made Michael's 

 joy complete, who already had begun to entertain fears 

 that fome untoward accident had befallen him. 



This was the battle of Fagitta, fought on the 9th of De- 

 cember 1769, on the very ground in which Fafil, juft five 

 years before, had murdered Kafmati Efhte. Thofe philofo- 

 phers, who difclaim the diredion of a divine Providence, 



4X2 will 



