THESOURCEOFTHENILE. 461 



would break in upon the foot. Several fhots were fired from 

 the center at them by order of the Ras, who cried out aloud 

 in derifion, " Take away thefe horfes and fend them to the 

 mill." They divided, however, to the right and left, into 

 the two graffy valleys under cover of the mufquetry, and a 

 very few horfe of Fafd's were carried in along with them, 

 and flain by the foldiers on the fide of the Kill. On the 

 king's fide no man of note was miffing but Welleta Michael, 

 nephew of Ras Michael, whofe horfe falling, he was taken 

 prifoner and carried off by Fafil. 



A few minutes after this, arrived a meflenger from Fafil;, 

 a dwarf, named Doho, a man always employed on errands 

 of this kind ; it is an intercourfe which is permitted, and 

 the meffenger not only protected, but rewarded, as I have 

 before obferved ; it is a fingular cuftom, and none but 

 fhrewd fellows are fent, very capable of making obferva- 

 tions, and Doho was one of thefe. He told the Ras to pre- 

 pare immediately, for Fafil intended to attack him as foon 

 as he had brought his foot up : Doho further added a 

 requeft from his mafter, as a mark of his duty, that the king 

 might not change his drefs that day, left he might fall in- 

 to the hands of fome of the ftranger troops of Galla, who 

 might not know him otherwife, or fhew the proper refpect 

 to his perfon. The Ras, I was told afterwards, for he was 

 too far before us to hear him, laughed violently at this com- 

 pliment. " Tell Fafil, fays he, to wait but a few minutes 

 where he now is, and I promife him that the king fha!l drefs 

 in any way he pleafes." When Doho's meffage was told to 

 the king, he fent back anfwer to Ras Michael, " Let Doho 

 tell Fafil from me, that, if I had known thofe two trees had 

 been where they are, I would have brought Welleta Ga*. 



brick 



