THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. jt 



few of his black horfe were in two lines immediately before 

 him,their fpears pointed upwards, his officers and nobility on 

 each fide, and behind him the reft of the horfe, diftributed 

 in the wings, excepting prince George and Ayto Confu, who, 

 with two fmall bodies, not exceeding a hundred, fcoured 

 the country, fometimes in the front, and fometimes in the 

 flank. I do not remember who commanded the reft of the 

 army, my mind was otherwife engaged ; they marched clofe 

 and in great order, and every one trembled for the fate of 

 Gondar. We paiTed the Mahometan town, and encamped 

 upon the river Kahha, in front of the market-place. As 

 foon as we had tvirned our faces to the tovvrn, our kettle- 

 drums were brought to the front, and, after beating fome 

 time, two proclamations were made. The firft was, That 

 all thofe who had flour or barley in quantities, fliould bring 

 it that very day to a fair market, on pain of having their 

 houfes plundered ; and that all people, foldiers, or others, 

 who attempted by force to take any provifions without ha- 

 ving firft paid for them in ready money, fhould be hanged 

 upon the fpot. A bench was quickly brought, and fet under 

 a tree in the middle of the market ; a judge appointed to fit 

 there ; a ftrong guard, and feveral officers placed round him ; 

 behind him an executioner, and a large coil of ropes laid 

 at his feet. The fecond proclamation v/as, That everybody 

 fliould remain at home in their houfes, otherwife the per- 

 son flying, or deferting the town, fhould be reputed a rebel, 

 his goods confifcated, his houfe burnt, and his family cha- 

 ftifed at the king's pieafure for feven years ; fo far was well 

 and politic. 



There was at Gondar a fort of mummers, being a mix- 

 ture of buffoons and ballad-flngers, and pofturc-mafters. 

 ^ Thefe 



