234 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



had of him as a foldier that he owed his being fuffered to 

 continue at Gondar ; for he was lu {'peeled to have been 

 familiar with one of his uncle's wives in Tigre, by whom it 

 was thought he had a child, at leail the Ras put away his 

 wife, and never owned the child to be his. 



This man flipped with us that night, and thence began 

 one of the moll ferious affairs I ever had in Abyffmia. 

 Guebra Mafcal, as ufual, vaunted inceffantly his fkill in 

 fire-arms, the wonderful gun that he had, and feats he had' 

 done with it. Petros faid, laughing, to him, " You have a 

 genius for mooting, but you have had no opportunity to 

 learn. Now, Yagoube is come, he will teach you fome- 

 thing worth talking off." They had all drank abundantly, 

 and Guebra Mafcal had uttered words that I thought were 

 in contempt of me. I believe, replied I peevifhly enough, 

 Guebra Mafcal, I mould fufpecl:, from your difcourfe, you 

 neither knew men nor guns ; every gun of mine in the 

 hands of my fervants mall kill twice as far as yours, for 

 my own, it is not worth my while to put a ball in it : When 

 I compare with you, the end of a tallow-candle in my gun 

 Ihall do more execution than an iron ball in the bell of 

 yours, with all the fkill and experience you pretend to. 



He faid I was a Frank, and a liar, and, upon my im- 

 mediately rifmg up, he gave me a kick with his foot. I was 

 quite blind with paffion, feized him by the throat, and 

 threw him on the ground flout as he was. The Abyffmians 

 know nothing of either wreftling or boxing. He drew his 

 knife as he was falling, attempted to cut me in the face, 

 but his arm not being at freedom, all he could do was to 

 give me a very trifling flab, or wound, near the crown of the 



head, 



