, 54 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



the fake of relieving them ; I, therefore, left the fever and 

 them to fettle accounts together, without anywife inter- 

 fering. 



At Sire we heard the good news that Ras Michael, on- 

 the icth of this month, had come up with Fafil at Fagitta, 

 and entirely difperfed his army, after killing 10,000 men. 

 This account, though not confirmed by any authority, ftruck 

 all the mutinous of this province with awe ; and every man 

 returned to his duty for fear of incurring the difpleafure of 

 this fevere governor, which they well knew would in*- 

 flantly be followed by more than an adequate portion of 

 vengeance, efpecially againfl thofe that had not accompa,- 

 nicd him to the field. 



On the 24th, at {tvcn o'clock in the morning, we ftruck 

 our tent at Sire, and pafTed through a vaft plain. All this day 

 we could difcern no mountains, as far as eye could reach, but 

 only fome few detached hills, Handing feparate on the plain, 

 covered with high graft, which they were then burning, to 

 produce new with the firil rains. The country to the 

 north is altogether flat, and perfectly open ; and though we 

 could not difcovcr one village this day, yet it feemed to be 

 well-inhabited, from the many people we faw on different 

 parts of the plain, fome at harvefi, and fome herding their 

 cattle. The villages were probably concealed from us on 

 the other fide of the hills. 



At four o'clock, we alighted at Mailbinni at the bottom 

 of a high,fteep, bare cliff of red marble, bordering on pur- 

 ple, and very hard. Behind this is the fmall village of 

 Mailbinni; and, on the fouth, another Hill higher hill, 



who to 



