^6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



ties, for he thereby broke his word with Fafil, who had done 

 nothing more than Socinios gave him authority to do. On 

 the other hand, Selaffe Barea was brother to Ayto Aylo, the 

 queen's greateft counfellor and confident ; equal to his bro- 

 ther both in wifdom, integrity, and riches, and in the fa- 

 vour of the people, but much more ambitious and defirous 

 of governing, confequently more dangerous when difobli^ 

 ged. 



Socinios, who did not believe that Sanuda was treacher- 

 oufly urging him to his ruin, continued obllinate in rejed:- 

 ing Fafil's appointment, and all fell immediately into con- 

 fufion. Troops flocked in from every quarter, as upon a 

 fignal given. Ayto Engedan, in difcontent, with a thoufand 

 men fat down near Gondar on the river Mogetch; his bro- 

 ther Aylo, at Emfras, about 15 miles further, with double 

 that number ; Ayto Confu, his coufin-german, with abouc 

 600 horfe, lay above Kofcam for the prote<5lion of Ozoro- 

 Efther, his mother, and the Iteghe his grandmother — alii 

 were in arms, though upon the defenfive^ 



In this fituation of things I arrived at Gondar on the 

 igzh of November, but could not fee the queen, who had 

 retired into her apartment under pretence of devotion, but ra- 

 ther from difguft and melancholy, at feeing that every thing, 

 however the contrary might be intended, feemed to con- 

 fpire to bring about the return of Ras Michael, the event 

 in the world flie dreaded moft. I found with Ozoro Eflher 

 the Acab Saat, Abba Salama, v/ho, as we have already ob- 

 ferved, had excommunicated her uncle Kafmati Eflite, and 

 afterwards contrived his murder, and had alfo had a very 

 principal fliare in that of Joas himfelf. It was he that Fafil 



faid 



