4^4 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



refpecl, being on a flat on the lee-fide of a hill, and flicker- 

 ed from the ftorm ; but, on the other hand, the water ran fo 

 plentifully from above as quite to overflow it on the infide 

 till a trench was dug to carry it off. 



Ras Mk;hael had burnt nothing at Tfoomwa, though 

 there was a houfe of PowufTen's in the place, built by his fa- 

 ther. But that diflembler, to prevent the worft, and carry on 

 the farce to the uttermoft, had fent many bags of flour for 

 the ufe of the King and the Ras, which were to be diftributed , 

 tp th,e array in cafe they wanted* 



From the paffage to Tfoomwa, all the country was for-- 

 taken ; the houfes uninhabited, the grafs trodden down, 

 and the fields without cattle. , Every thing that had life 

 and ftrength fled before that terrible leader, and his no lefs 

 terrible army; a profound filenee was in the fields around 

 us, but no marks as yet of defolation. We kept Ariel: watch 

 in this folitude all that night. I took my turn till twelve, 

 as I was the leail fatigued of: any. Netcho had picquets 

 about a quarter of a mile on every fide of us, with fire-arms 

 tg give the alarm. . 



On the 23d, about three in the morning, a gun was heard 

 em the fide towards the paflage. This did- not much alarm 

 us, though we all turned out. In a few minutes came Ayto 

 Adigo, (not the Shum of Karoota, already mentioned, who 

 left us at the Gomara,) but a young nobleman of Begem- 

 der-ef great -hopes, one of the gentlemen of the king's bed- 

 chamber, and consequently my colleague. He intended to 

 have brought four horfes to the king, one of which he had 

 drowned, or rather, as I afterwards underflood, throttled in 



pafling ; 



