THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. ^ 



But, a few days afrer, having pafTed the low country of Dem- 

 bea he took poft at Dingleber, on the road to Maitflia and 

 the country of the Agows, and then he declared his only in^ 

 tention in coming was to join Fafil, then marching to Gon- 

 dar at the head of a large army ; nor was the caufe of that 

 great army, nor the reafon of Fafil's coming, fo fufficiently 

 known as to free any party entirely from their apprehen-- 

 fions.. 



Sanuda, who filled the office of Ras, and the reft of that 

 party, endeavoured to determine Afahel to enter Gondar, 

 and pay his homage to Socinios, now king ; not doubting 

 but his example would have the efTe^l of making others do 

 the like, and that fo by degrees they might collect troops e- 

 nough to make Michael refpec^ them, fo far at leaft as to de- 

 fer for a feafon his march from Tigre. They prevailed, in- 

 deed, fo far as to engage Afahel to enter Gondar on the 28th 

 of Odober, the day that we left it ; fo, by a few hours, and 

 his taking a low road that he might plunder the villages in 

 Dembea, we miffed a meeting of the moft dangerous and 

 moft difagreeable kind. After having made his ufual pa- 

 rade, and paffed his cavalry in review before Socinios, he had 

 his public audience, where he faid he came charged by Fa- 

 fd to declare that he was ready to fet out for Gondar, and 

 bring with him that part of the revenue due to the king 

 from the provinces he commanded, provided he had a man 

 of fufficient truil to leave in his Head at home ; that there- 

 fore he prayed the king to appoint him Woodage Afahel to 

 command in the provinces of Damot, Maitflia, and Agow, 

 in his abfence. - 



After 



