452 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



wards mid- night, when, whether from this caufe, or, as 

 they alledged, that they found a more favourable ford, all 

 the Tigre infantry, and many mules lightly loaded, paffed 

 with lei's difficulty than any of the reft had done, and with 

 them feveral loads of flour ; luckily alfo my two tents and 

 mules, to my great confolarion, came fafely over when it 

 was near morning. Still the army continued to pafs, and 

 thofe that could fwim feemed bed off. 1 was in the great- 

 efl diflrefs for the good Ammonios, my lieutenant, who was 

 miffing, and did not join us till late in the morning, having 

 been all night bufy in feeking Ayto Aylo, the queen's cham- 

 berlain, and Tecia Mariam, who were his great companions, 

 drowned probably at the firft attempt to pafs, as they were 

 never after heard of. 



The greater! part of the foot, however, crofTed in the 

 night ; and many were of opinion that we had miftakeri 

 the paffiage altogether, by going too high, and being in too 

 great a hafte ; the banks, indeed, were fo deep, it was very? 

 plain that this could never have been an accuflomed ford 

 for cavalry. Before day-light the van and the center had. 

 all joined the king; the number, I believe, that had perilled 

 was never diftinctly known, for thofe that were miffing were 

 thought to have remained on the other fide with Kefla Ya- 

 fous, at leaf! for that day. Kefla Yafous, indeed, with the 

 rear and all the baggage of the army, had remained on the 

 other fide, and, with very few tents pitched, waited the dawiv. 

 of the morning. 



It happened that the priefls of the church of Mariamr 

 Net, in the confufion, had been left unheeded, chained armr 

 %p arm, in. the rear with Kefla Yafous, and they had began 



interceding 



