THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 79 



Guebra Denghel bore his hard fortune with great uncon- 

 cern, declaring, that his only reafon of taking up arms a- 

 gainfl the king was, that he faw no other way of prevent- 

 ing Michael's tyranny, and monilrous thirft of money and 

 of power : that the Ras was really king, had fubverted the 

 conftitution, annihilated all difference of rank and perfons, 

 and transferred the efficient parts of government into the 

 hands of his own creatures. He wiflied the king might 

 know this was his only motive for rebellion, and that unlefs 

 it had been to make this declaration, he would not have 

 opened his mouth before fo partial and unjuil a judge as 

 he confidered Michael to be. 



But Welleta Selaffe, his daughter, hearing the danger her 

 father was in, broke fuddenly out of Ozoro Eflher's apart- 

 ment, which was contiguous ; and, coming into the council- 

 room at the inftant her father was condemned to die, threw 

 herfelf at the Ras's feet with every mark and expreffion of 

 the moft extreme forrow. I cannot, indeed, repeat what her 

 expreffions were, as I was not prefent, and I thank God that 

 I was not ; 1 believe they are ineffable by any mouth but 

 her own, but they were perfecftiy unfuccefsful. The old 

 tyrant threatened her with immediate death, fpurned her 

 away with his foot, and in her hearing ordered her father 

 to be immediately hanged. Welleta Selaffe, in a fit, or faint, 

 which refemblcd death, fell fpeechlefs to the ground ; the 

 father, forg' tful of his own fituation, flew to his daughter's 

 affiftance, and they were both dragged out at feparate doors, 

 the one to death, the other to after fufferings, greater than 

 death itfelf. 



lORTUNB 



