476 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



large force, with a knowledge of all the fords, and mafter 

 of all the inhabitants of the country. Remember how you 

 palled thofe rivers, holding hand in hand, and drawing one 

 another over. Could you have done this with an ene- 

 my behind you, and fuch an enemy as Woodage Afahel ? 

 He would have followed and harrafled you till you took 

 the ford at Goutto, and there was Welleta Yafous waiting 

 to oppofe you with 6000 men on the oppofite bank. When 

 Ras Michael marched by Mariam Net, he found the priefts 

 at their homes. Was that the cafe in any of the other 

 churches we palled ? No ; all were fled for fear of Michael ; 

 yet thefe were more guilty than any by their connections 

 with Fafil ; notwithflanding which, they alone, of all others, 

 flaid, though they knew not why ; an invifible hand held 

 them that they might operate your prefervation. Nothing 

 could have faved the army but the defperate paffage, fo 

 tremendous that it will exceed the belief of man, crofting 

 the Nile that night. Yet if the priefts had croffed before 

 this, not a man would have proceeded to the ford. The 

 priefts would have been Ras Michael's prifoners, and, on 

 the other fide, they never would have fpoken a word whilft 

 in the prefence of Michael. Providence, therefore, kept 

 them with Kefla Yafous ; all was difcovered, and the army 

 faved by the retreat, and his fpeedy palling at the ford of 

 Delakus. 



What would have happened to Kefla Yafous, had I-afil 

 marched down to Delakus either before or after the paffage ? 

 Kefla Yafous would have been cut off before Ras Michael 

 had palled the Kelti ; inftead of which, an unknown caufe 

 detained him, moft infatuated-like, beating his kettle- drums 

 behind Bofkon Abbo, while our army under the Ras was 



fwimming 



