THESOURCE OF THE NILE. 487 



to place a fon of Aylo, Joas's brother, a mere infant, upon 

 the throne. All thofe that were in fear of Michael, and it 

 was very general at that time, cried out againft an infant 

 king at fuch a critical period ; but, old as that princefs was, 

 the defire of reigning had again returned. 



Upon the return of the Iteghe that night to Kofcam, Sa- 

 nuda held a council of the principal officers that had re- 

 mained at Gondar, and fixed upon one Welleta Girgis, a 

 young man of about 24 years of age, who had, indeed, been 

 reputed Yafous's fon, but his low life and manners had 

 procured him fafety and liberty by the contempt they had 

 raifed in Ras Michael. His mother, indeed, was of a noble 

 origin, but fo reduced in fortune as to have been obliged to 

 gain her livelihood by carrying jars of water for hire. The 

 mother fwore this fon was begot by Yafous, and as that prince 

 was known not to have been very nice in his choice of mif- 

 trefies, or limited in their number, it was, perhaps, as likely 

 to be true as not, that Welleta Girgis was his fon. He took 

 the name of Socinios. On the morning after, the new 

 king came to Kofcam, attended by Sanuda and his 

 party, with guards, and all the enfigns of royalty. He 

 threw himfelf at the Iteghe's feet, and begged her forgiven- 

 nefs if he had vindicated the rights of his birth, without 

 her leave or participation ; he declared his refolution to 

 govern entirely by her advice, and begged her to grant his 

 requeft and come to Gondar, and again take pollemon of 

 her place as Iteghe, or regent of the kingdom. 



It was about the 10th of Auguft that an accident happen- 

 ed, which it was generally thought would have determined 

 Eafil to come to Gondar. A common woman, wife of a 



Galla 



