THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i s <j 



feafon of the year, when moll rivers in Abyflinia ran now 

 no more. 



In the middle of the ft'ream we met a deferter from Ras 

 Michael's army, with his firelock upon his moulder, driving 

 before him two miferable girls about ten years old, flark- 

 naked, and almoft famifhed to death, the part of the booty 

 which had fallen to his fhare in laying wafle the country 

 of Maitfha, after the battle.. We afked him of the truth of 

 this news, but he would give us no fat is faction ; fomctim.es 

 he faid there had been a battle, fometimes none. He 

 apparently had fome diflrufl, that one or other of the 

 facts, being allowed to be true, might determine us as to 

 ibme dclign we might have upon him and his booty. He 

 had not, in my eyes, the air of a conqueror, but rather of a 

 coward that had fneaked away, and flolen thefe two mifer- 

 able wretches he had with him. I afked where Michael 

 was ? If at Bure ? where, upon defeat of Fafil, he natu- 

 rally would be. He faid, No ; he was at Ibaba, the capital of 

 Maitfha; and this gave us no light, it being the place he 

 would go to before, while detachments of his army might 

 be employed in burning and laying wafle the country of 

 the enemy he had determined to ruin, rather than return to 

 it fome time after a battle. At lafl we were obliged to leave 

 him. I gave him fome flour and tobacco, both which he 

 took very thankfully; but further intelligence he would, 

 not give. 



The banks of the Tacazze are all covered, at tlfc water?s 

 edge, with tamarifks ; behind which grow high anjdftraighr 

 trees, that feem to have gained additional ftrength from 

 having often refilled the violence of the river. Few of thefe 



eyer 



