TH£ SOURCE OF THE NILE. 33 



province. Sanuda was, in the mean time, to appear as 

 Pvas by the connivance of Fafil and Michael ; and, if he 

 faw the people of the Iteghe's party refolved upon eledling 

 a king, he was to take care to choofe fuch a one as would 

 foon prove himfelf incapable of reigning, but fill the va- 

 cancy in the mean time, and prevent the eiedlion from 

 falling upon a worthier candidate from the mountain of 

 Wechne. Fafil, on his part, undertook by promifes and 

 propofals, and occafionally by the approach of his army, 

 to frighten and confufe the Iteghe, and prevent a good un- 

 derflanding taking place between her, Guftio, and Powuf- 

 fen. The laft article of this treaty was, that no more fhould 

 be faid of Joas the late king's murder, but all that tranf- 

 a(5tion was to be buried in eternal oblivion. This peace, 

 Afahel had faid, was made by the mediation of Welleta Se- 

 laflTc, nephew of Ras Michael, whom we have often men- 

 tioned as having been taken prifoner by Fafil at the battle 

 ofLimjour. 



This difcovcry, dangerous as it might have been in other 

 times and circumllances, from the weaknefs of the prefent 

 government, had no confequences hurtful to any concerned 

 in it. Sanuda, who was not prefent when Afahel revealed 

 the fecret, affedled to laugh at it as an improbable fidlion ; 

 and though this whole fchcme of treachery was confirm- 

 €d part by part, yet it was fo deeply laid, and fo well fup- 

 ported, that, even when difcovcrcd, it could not be prevent- 

 ed, till, fiep by Hep, it was carried into execution. 



Fasil was encamped at Eaniba, as we have already 

 mentioned ; he had difcharged all thofe favage Galla 

 that he had brought from the other fide of the Nile. 



Vol, IV. E As 



