122 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



and partake with me. He would ftand, all the time, with 

 a clean towel in his hand, though he had plenty of fer- 

 vants ; and afterwards dined with fome vifitors, who had 

 come out of curiofity, to fee a man arrived from fo far. A- 

 mong thefe was a number of priefts ; apart of the company 

 which I liked leaft, but who did not fhew any hoftile ap- 

 pearance. It was long before I cured my kind land- 

 lord of thefe refpectful obfervances, which troubled me 

 very much ; nor could he wholly ever get rid of them, his 

 own kindnefs and good heart, as well as the pointed and 

 particular orders of the Greek patriarch, Mark, conllantlv 

 fuggefting the fame attention;,. 



In the afternoon, I had a vifit from the governor, a very 

 graceful man, of about ilxty years of age, tall and well fa- 

 voured. He had juft then returned from an expedition to the 

 Tacazze, againft fome villages of Ayto Tesfos *, which he 

 had deftroyed, ilain 120 men, and driven off a number of 

 cattle. He had with him about fixty mufquets, to which, I 

 underftood, he had owed his advantage. Thefe villages were 

 about Tubalaque, jxift as you afcend the farther bank of 

 the Tacazze. He faid he doubted much if we mould be 

 allowed to pafs through Woggora* unlefs fome favourable 

 news came from Michael ; for Tesfos of Samen, who kept 

 his government after Joas's death, and refufed to acknow- 

 ledge Michael, or to fubmit to the king, in conjunction 

 with the people of Woggora, acted now the part of robbers, 

 plundering all forts of people, that carried either provifions, 



or 



* A rebel governor of. Sarcco, of which I (hall after have accafion to.fpeak. 



