478 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



The queen ordered her gates at Kofcam to be fhut. A 

 little before the Ras mounted his mule, Ozoro Efther and 

 her fcrvants took refuge with her mother the Iteghe; Gon- 

 dar was like a town which had been taken by an enemy ; 

 everyone that had arms in his hands did jufl whathepleafed. 



Two very remarkable things were faid to have happened 

 the night before Michael left the city. He had always pre- 

 tended, that, before he undertook an expedition, a perfon, 

 er fpirit, appeared -to him, who told him the iffue and con- 

 fequence of the meafures he was then taking ; this he ima- 

 gined to be St Michael the archangel, and he prefumed very 

 much upon this intercourfe. In a council that night, where 

 none but friends were prefent, he had told them that his 

 fpirit had appeared fome nights before, and ordered him, in 

 his retreat, to furprife the mountain of Wechne, and either 

 Hay or carry with him to Tigre the princes fequeftered 

 there. Nebrit Tecla, governor of Axum, with his two fons, 

 (all concerned in the late king's murder) were, it is faid, 

 itrong advifers of this meafure ; but Ras Michael, (probably 

 fatiated with royal blood already) Kefla Yafous, and all the 

 more worthy men of any confequence, acting on principle, 

 abfolutely refufed to confent to it. It was upon this the 

 paffage by Beleffen was fubftituted inflead of the attempt on 

 Wechne, and it was determined to conceal it. 



The next advice which, the Ras faid, this devil, or angel, 

 gave him, was, that they mould fet fire to the town of Gon- 

 dar, and burn it to the ground, otherwife his good fortune 

 was to leave him there for ever ; and for this there was a 

 great number of advocates, Michael feeming to lean that 

 way himfelf. But, when it was reported to the king, that 

 i young 



